


Hellfire

by clover71



Category: American Idol, American Idol RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-21
Updated: 2010-06-21
Packaged: 2017-10-10 05:23:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 23,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/96035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clover71/pseuds/clover71
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Volcanologist, David Cook, was sent to investigate a series of seismic activities in the town of Murray in Utah and found that he had more than an awakening dormant volcano to deal with when he met David Archuleta.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hellfire

**Author's Note:**

> \- There is no warning for minor character death above, so I thought I mention it here.
> 
> \- This fic is based on the movie **_'Dante's Peak'_**. Majority of the scenes had been inspired by the movie. Also, there may be dialogues from the movie that I ended up using, but that wasn't intentional. This was written in a span of 10 days so chances are I have been unconsciously writing from memory of what I've watched.
> 
> \- Thank you so much for pixie_queen24 for doing the beta at such short notice, despite her very busy schedule. Please note that the last 2 parts were not beta'ed because RL caught up with her. But I decided to post anyway so I have 1 less fic out of the way. Any remaining mistakes on the first three parts are all mine. And thank you to my dear friend radcliffe_bass for holding my hand throughout this. Even though she thinks I'm crazy for starting on a new fic barely 2 weeks before I'm scheduled to post.
> 
> \- There area several things I have invented to make the story work somehow. So please note that Fuller's Peak, Mount Cimehtna (if read backwards, it's 'Anthemic'), Archuleta's Bed and Breakfast Inn among others do not exist. At least to my knowledge. And I have no idea if there's a volcanic and seismic research facility in L.A. You will also noticed that I used the acronym S.E.A.C.R.E.S.T. for a robot, but I cannot come up with a meaning. It will be interesting if you, readers, can suggest what it may possibly stand for.

**1 – **  
_I'm falling through an empty void_

  
  


  


It happened in a split second. Cook felt the earth move from beneath his feet. Then long silence followed. As if time had stopped. The world was calm. Still.

Shallow, restrained breathing was all Cook could hear. Everyone seemed afraid to disturb the mantle of tranquility that draped around the area. It was too quiet that the sound of Cook's heartbeat echoed in his ears.

They all remained stock-still. Listening. Waiting.

Then just like that, the peaceful scene was disrupted.

The ground shook, vibrating violently. Cook scrabbled for something to hold onto and keep him upright. _And fuck. _ It was almost like… like the earth had turned into a snow globe that was being shaken by a child. There was nothing his eyes could focus on. Everything around him was moving, swaying rampantly.

Screams ripped through the air. People were running amuck. Blurred images of men, women and children went past him. It took great effort for Cook to focus on the task that had to be done. First, he ordered his team to vacate the premises. Once he was certain he got everyone out, he activated the machines to record the seismic activities and send data back to the main headquarters.

"Dave! C'mon! We have to get out of here!" His colleague and best friend, Andy Skib, stood by the doorway, bracing himself against the frame.

Cook didn't waste another second. He grabbed his backpack and headed out, following Andy to a black, four-wheel drive vehicle parked right outside the two-story building that had housed Cook and his team of researchers for the last four months.

It had started raining mud. _Anytime now she would fucking go off_, Cook thought. He mentally cursed himself for thinking they would have enough time to get out. But it was too late to regret why he didn't join the earlier evacuation.

"Did everyone make it out?" Cook had to make sure his team members were safe and when Andy gave a quick nod, Cook slid quickly into the driver side. He could hear the volcano's rumbling, could feel the ground trembling underneath them.

"We're the only ones left," Andy said while buckling his seat belt. Cook paused for a moment, thinking of how adorable it was for Andy to still manage to do what was proper, even in the middle of such a chaotic event. "The rest managed to cross the bridge, at least that's what Carly said before the radio went off."

"How bad is it?" Cook was about to look out the window but a large burning rock, half the size of their vehicle, dropped only inches away from where they were still parked. "Fuck!"

"I guess it's that bad?" Andy said, sounding half amused and half terrified.

Cook stepped on the gas and drove out of the lot, stealing glances at the rear view mirror. The black rain had created a curtain that cloaked the village and he could only see shadows of people running for their lives. Burning rocks were dropping from the sky. The flames that rose from them consumed houses and buildings. And Cook could clearly see the ground had started to crack open.

"Shit." Cook turned the steering wheel abruptly to avoid the rain of blazing rocks, making the vehicle swerve along the foggy road. Then a deafening sound rose from somewhere behind them, and he felt a rush of hot wind against his skin through the vehicle's opened window. The muddy rain had gotten thick and black smoke descended upon them, making it even more difficult for Cook to see the road clearly.

A small fire-covered rock had hit the vehicle's hood, making Cook step on the brake on impulse. The vehicle lurched before it came to a complete halt, throwing half of his body against the wheel, the seat belt cutting through his torso.

Pain shot right through his head and shoulders and Cook could feel something warm trickling down the side of his face. He raised his head and noticed that the windshield had shattered. He turned to ask Andy if he was all right but his breath hitched at what he saw.

Andy's eyes were wide open, his mouth parted, a shard of glass was stuck on the side of his neck, his shirt covered in blood. Andy was dead.

Another shrill sound cut through Cook's hearing and he bolted upright in bed, his head pounding. His eyes struggled to adjust to the dim light. He could feel his heart beating rapidly, his skin sticky from sweat. The high-pitched sound came again and Cook blinked to clear the fogginess from his eyes, belatedly realizing that it was his phone ringing. Before he could move though, the ringing had stopped.

_Fuck_. He gingerly ran a hand over his face. He had another dream. Three years had passed since Andy died but there were still nights when Cook dreamed of that dreadful accident.

Music blasted through the silence, giving Cook another start. He felt around his bed for his cell phone, knowing that he'd fallen asleep talking to his brother last night. It must be an emergency. A quick glance at the clock told him it was almost four in the morning. No one would dare call him on both his home phone and cell phone at such ungodly hour.

"Yeah," he said, pressing the phone against his ear.

"Dave." The voice instantly grabbed his attention. "I have a job for you." The tone was adamant, commanding, and even if it was normal for Simon Cowell to speak that way, there was an edge to the manner in which he spoke. Cook could tell that whatever Simon's purpose was, it involved something deeply serious.

Two hours later, Cook found himself sauntering through the corridors of the Los Angeles Volcanic and Seismic Research Facility, a division of the U.S. Geological Survey. It had only been ten months since he had returned to work after spending a couple of years completing courses in Computer and Advance Technology. He'd hoped to steer his life to a different direction but it was to no avail. A run-in with a former colleague brought him back to the job that caused him to lose someone that meant more than his own life.

Simon was considerate enough to grant Cook his request to focus on research and stay indoors so he hadn't really returned to the field to which he was more accustomed. But today, Cook had a feeling that all of that would change, especially when Simon specifically instructed him to proceed to the briefing room instead of Simon's office.

Cook could see through the smoked glass walls that some members of his former research team were already inside the small room. Carly had seen him and waved, beckoning him to enter so Cook knew there was no turning back.

Simon looked up from the paper he was perusing with Michael Johns when Cook entered. "Dave," Simon greeted. "Thank you for coming on such short notice. Why don't you take a seat?"

"I'd rather stand, if you don't mind." Cook cringed inwardly at the bite on his own voice, but seeing Michael, Carly and Jason wasn't a good sign that he would like what Simon had to say.

"Very well," Simon said, taking a sip from a cup with a Starbucks logo. "I'll go straight to the point."

"Please do." Cook could tell Simon was trying his best not to snap back. He watched Simon gather some pieces of paper from the table before handing them to him.

"I know you still prefer to stay indoors but…" The hesitance in Simon's voice was obtrusive, but Cook held back any snide remarks forming in his head and waited for his superior to continue. "We've picked up seismic activities in a town near Salt Lake City in Utah. The initial vibration seemed to originate from Fuller's Peak in Murray."

"Fuller's Peak? You're joking, right?" Cook pulled his brows together in disbelief. "I thought that had been dormant for nearly three thousand years."

"Apparently, our little volcano has woken up." Simon handed him another set of papers that contained a topographical view of the mountain. "A shift on the earth's core has been detected along the mountainous region in Utah, Colorado and Wyoming." Simon went on explaining the discreet change in the climate for the past year.

After Simon went through the entire report, Cook shrugged and said, "I still don't see what this has to do with me."

Simon cleared his throat, exchanged looks with Michael, leaned on the oval table, and locked gazes with Cook. "You're one of the best on field—"

"No." Cook did not need to hear the rest of what Simon had to say. There was no fucking way he was going back to fieldwork. It was one of the conditions he had resolutely thrown in place when he was offered a position at the facility.

"Please Cook, just hear what Simon has to say," Carly finally spoke, her eyes boring holes right through Cook's forehead.

Jason opened his mouth but closed it quickly and looked as if he was debating whether or not to speak. When he didn't utter a word, Cook's eyes shifted to Michael.

"You need to get out there, mate." A tinge of resoluteness laced Michael's voice. "It's time to fucking face your fears or whatever shit's going through your head."

Cook met Simon's gaze once more, Simon looked impassive and Cook couldn't read his expression anymore. When Simon said, "Just hear me out, Dave," Cook felt something break inside him and he sank into a chair. A single nod was all he could offer.

=0=

Murray was buzzing with activities when Cook arrived. He heard that the town was celebrating some sort of annual festival.

Simon had arranged for him to stay at the bed and breakfast inn owned by the town's mayor. The mayor, as Cook had been told, was expected to attend to some guests from a certain magazine so the responsibility to see to Cook's needs was passed on to the mayor's personal assistant instead.

Once he went past the gates of the arrival area in the Salt Lake City airport, he immediately saw a blonde woman holding up a sign with his name stylishly written on it. "You must be Brooke White," Cook said when he approached, offering a hand.

"Mr. Cook," Brooke said, taking his hand for a shake. "Welcome to Salt Lake City." She turned, gesturing for Cook to follow. "The mayor sends an apology for not being able to attend to you personally."

"Oh. No apologies needed. I was told about the scheduled festivities." Cook followed her out of the airport. A warm breeze greeted him. "Is it normally this warm in early March?"

"Not really." Brooke led him to a lime-colored sedan. After Cook placed his luggage inside the trunk, he slipped into the passenger side. "It's funny, you know, " Brooke said as she started the engine. "Just last week, we had snow drizzling across Murray, but it suddenly started getting warm last Wednesday."

"What about earthquakes?" Cook studied the areas they drove through. He took note of the buildings, roads, and bridges, tucking it all in the back of his mind, knowing through experience that being aware of these details often came in handy.

"We had a little one early this week. Monday, I believe" was Brooke's response.

"Little one?"

Brooke shrugged. "The mayor thinks it's nothing to be alarmed about. We were told it barely reached a magnitude of two."

"What do you think?" Cook noticed that they had turned from the main road and were cruising through a curving path. There were fewer buildings now and the mountains were in closer view.

"I think it's weird since we don't normally have earthquakes in this part of the state." Brooke had taken a matter-of-fact tone, adding that the last earthquake they had on record had been more than fifty years before and it was too low on the Richter scale to even be remembered. "Do you think we should expect some kind of catastrophe, Mr. Cook?"

"Dave."

"I'm sorry?"

"Please. Call me Dave."

Brooke made an almost indistinct snort and when Cook turned to her, his eyebrow arched in question, she just shook her head, saying, "We have a lot of _'Davids'_ and _'Daves'_ in town. My husband, for one. But most people call him Dave Ray. The mayor's eldest son's name is also David, but we've gotten used to calling him 'Archie', which is short for his last name. I think it's a nickname he earned from school."

"Well in that case, call me Cook. My teammates do anyway."

After they crossed a bridge, they went past a sign that said: 'Welcome to Murray, Utah.'

Whatever Brooke was saying at the time was left unheeded because Cook got distracted with what his eyes had caught through Brooke's window. "Is that…" Cook paused, his eyes surveying the landscape.

Brooke might have read Cook's mind. "That's Fuller's Peak, alright," she said before Cook could speak any further.

It wasn't as relatively high as the Oquirrh Mountains that stretched along the borders of the Salt Lake County. The difference could clearly be determined since Fuller's Peak was capped with little snow unlike the mountains that stood behind it. From afar, it looked peaceful. Cook hoped it remained that way for the town's sake.

They turned onto a road filled with people meandering along the sides and even in the middle of the road. Brooke had to press on the car horn several times to get people to move aside. "Looks like you're in for quite a celebration this weekend" was Cook's observation.

"First time the town's got recognized for something," Brooke said, easing the car to a stop in front of a diner. "We've been named the most progressive town by the National Economy Magazine. The mayor is probably receiving the award right about now. You could talk to her afterwards."

"Remind me to congratulate the mayor," Cook said, and as an afterthought, he added, "I guess I need to congratulate you and the rest of the town's residents too."

Brooke laughed, sounding amused. "You don't need to concern yourself with formalities, Mr. — I mean Cook. You were sent here for a purpose, so I'm pretty sure the mayor will appreciate it more if you focus on making sure our town is still safe to live in." She got out of the car and Cook followed suit.

The municipal hall was right behind the building that housed some of the small dining establishments and some souvenir shops. There was a small stage several meters from the main entrance where a woman stood behind a lectern and was giving a speech about hard work and economic crisis and some other things that did not register in Cook's mind.

"Let's wait here," Brooke said as they stopped near the stairs leading up to the stage area.

Rhythmic applause rippled through the audience and Cook was prompted to clap his hands as well, belatedly realizing that the woman was done with the speech. He watched the woman dip her head in a cursory bow and take a plaque from the lectern before turning to the gentlemen beside her. Everyone on the stage shook hands and the woman who gave the speech was then led from the stage, a wide smile graced her face when she spotted Brooke.

"Hi Brooke," the woman greeted and her eyes turned to Cook. She held out a hand to Cook, saying, "You must be Mr. David Cook, from L.A?"

Cook took her hand while Brooke spoke from beside him. "Cook, this is Mayor Archuleta—"

But the mayor was quick to interrupt politely. "Please, call me Lupe."

"I will if you call me Dave. Or Cook, if it's easier," Cook said, his voice held a flirtatious tone. He gripped lightly on the woman's hand, shaking it genially, before pulling back and shoving his hand into his pant pocket.

"I suppose I'm free for the rest of the afternoon to show you around," Lupe said, gazing at Brooke questioningly, to which Brooke acknowledged with a single nod.

"I can do it for you, Lupe, if you wish, so you can keep your afternoon free to spend time with the kids," Brooke offered, her Blackberry at the ready.

"That's okay, Brooke," Lupe said, waving a hand as if to dismiss the subject. "Jeff's got the younger ones for the day and David actually offered to drive me around." Then she turned to Cook, the smile never leaving her face. "I suppose your boss had told you that you will be staying at our inn while you're here."

Cook nodded his acknowledgment.

"It's not much, but I can assure you that it's as close to home as you can get," Lupe added.

"Thank you." Cook wanted to say more, the words of congratulations for the town's accomplishment died in his throat, however, when a young man who resembled Lupe a little came up to them.

"Hey mom!"

"David!" The young man gathered Lupe in his arms briefly then pulled back and gave a peck on her cheek. "How did the awarding thing go?"

"You would have found it boring, I'm sure." Lupe shifted her attention back to Cook. "This is my eldest son, David," she said, her arm still wrapped around her son's waist. Then she turned to her son and went on introducing Cook. "He's a geologist from some science research division in Los Angeles. "

"I'm a volcanologist, actually," Cook corrected, his eyes shifting from the mayor to her son.

"Volcanologist?" Lupe's son had his brows furrowed, but then he shrugged and offered a hand. "I guess you can call me Archie, since we have the same name and all." And he gave a short laugh that sent Cook's heart fluttering.

Cook took the offered hand, and as soon as his skin came in contact with Archie's, tiny frissons shot right through his arm all the way to the back of his neck. "And uhm… you can call me Cook." He barely heard his voice, but then Archie repeated his name out loud so Cook knew he must've been perceptible enough.

Archie turned out to be quite an animated talker like his mom. They had given Cook a quick overview of the town's history and current events on their way to the Archuleta's Bed and Breakfast Inn, just a few blocks away from the main shopping district.

Lupe had insisted that Cook get settled first and promised to have their inn keeper, Syesha, prepare a late lunch for him before they head back out on the road. "Plus I need to get out of this suit. It's quite uncomfortable if I may be honest," Lupe admitted before she left to drive home, leaving Cook with Archie, who happened to be taking up residence at the small inn.

"So what's a volcanologist doing in this part of the country?" Archie asked when he brought fresh towels to Cook's room. "There isn't any volcano around here, as far as I know."

"How long have you been living here?" Cook tried not to meet Archie's gaze. Not after he'd been enthralled by the depths of Archie's eyes earlier. As much as Cook hated labels, hated giving himself one, there wasn't any doubt in his mind that Archie, like him, batted for the other side.

"Since I was nine, we moved here from Florida." Archie moved to the window to part the curtains and let streaks of sunlight into the room. "So this year marks our twelfth year, I guess."

"It's either you weren't paying attention to your history or geology class, if you had one," Cook started. "Or the town has completely forgotten what Fuller's Peak really is."

"Fuller's Peak?" Archie sounded much like Cook did when Simon told him about the small mountain.

"Yeah." Cook kept his eyes on his duffle bag, debating whether to bring a jacket or settle with the long-sleeved shirt he was wearing. "It's a dormant volcano." He made a mistake of turning to Archie, whose face was lined with confusion. "It means it's been sleeping for thousands of years."

"And you're here because…" Archie seemed to be fishing for information but Cook didn't have any to offer. Not yet at least.

"I honestly don't know." It wasn't a lie. Cook had theories, but it was best to keep them to his self and not risk raising a false alarm to a town that had just received a _'Most Progressive Town'_ award. "I was just sent here to investigate the small seismic activities that our monitoring devices picked up a week ago."

Archie didn't press on further, but there was a shadow of interest that went past his eyes. And Cook had a gnawing feeling that if he did end up staying in Murray, there would be more than volcano and earthquake problems he might have to deal with.

=0=

  
  


=0=

The sun was still up when they hit the road. Archie did as he had promised his mom and drove her and Cook around. He didn't know why having Cook at the passenger side made him nervous, but he couldn't stop fidgeting on his own seat. And he had no clue why his mom had insisted on riding at the backseat in the first place.

_Oh gosh._ Maybe his mom had noticed the way he looked at Cook. He couldn't help it since Cook looked so… so—

The sound of a familiar ring tone broke through Archie's musing. He heard his mom utter, "No, he's not with me" and "I thought he's supposed to be with you." Archie presumed that she was speaking to his dad. When she had hung up, she muttered, "Dang." That was enough to give Archie a hunch as to what the phone call was about.

"Let me guess," Archie said, glancing at the rear view mirror to speak to his mom. "It's Daniel."

"Yeah." His mom sighed before she went on saying that it was Archie's dad who called to say that Daniel was missing. Again. It wasn't anything new. His brother had been purposely doing things that often set their parents' on edge ever since they got divorced.

"I think I know where he is," Archie told his mom. He glanced at Cook briefly before turning his gaze back on the road. "Uhm… do you mind if we do a little detour?" This was so embarrassing because… because Cook's a stranger and he didn't need to be dragged along in the middle of their family crisis and… _Dang it._ "I'm sorry. It's just… well, my brother sort of loves to get in trouble."

"It's okay." The sound of Cook's voice – deep, but melodic and rough around the edge – somehow made Archie's heart leap, despite the tension he could feel building up from the back seat.

They drove onto a narrowed path that led to an abandoned mine. "Uhm…" Archie was compelled to explain where they were when he noticed the confused look on Cook's face. "This is where Daniel usually hides."

Archie was almost startled out of his seat when his mom yelled, "Daniel!" And he saw her pulling her head back in through the open window when he glanced at the rear view mirror once more. "Mijo, can you sound the horn, please?" Lupe said, her eyes fixed on Archie's. When Archie did what he was asked, three boys soon came through the double doors, one of them was his brother. "Get in the car right this instant!" The authoritative tone his mom had taken made Archie cringe, and he felt bad for Daniel at that moment.

Lupe rattled on about discipline and… and… Archie just turned his attention to Cook. "Sorry," he said and smiled timidly before shifting the SUV into reverse.

They drove up to the mountains. Lupe kept apologizing to Cook for the delay. "My ex-husband has something to attend to in the city so I need to make an unscheduled stop at his place to pick up my daughters," she explained after she had introduced Cook to Daniel.

Driving through the winding path that settled against the mountainside was something Archie enjoyed doing. The scene was simply breathtaking. Seeing nothing but trees, streams, rivers and intricate landscape untouched by technology still left him in awe.

Soon, they came upon a series of cottages that stood several meters apart, nestled along the lakeshore. Archie eased the Escape Hybrid into one of the short driveways. "We're here," he voiced out the obvious once he brought the vehicle to a full stop in front of his dad's cottage. But Cook took the cue, anyhow, and stepped out. Archie spied his sisters running out to meet their mom who was a few steps away from the front porch.

When Archie got out of the car, he heard Cook say, "My, my. This is beautiful," and saw Cook gazing out over the lake that stretched out lazily before them, with hands on his hips.

Instead of following his mom and siblings inside, he went over to where Cook stood. "I know, right?" Archie paused beside Cook, eyes likewise focused on the water. "It's at its best during summer."

"Hmm. I would love to be here then" was what Cook said next and Archie knew Cook only meant to be polite, right? But… but the way Cook had said it tightened the knots in Archie's stomach. And he wasn't that naïve, okay? So Archie certainly didn't miss the fact that what Cook said somehow sounded… well, suggestive.

It wasn't anything new. Archie had dealt with forward guys before. There had been a lot of that in college. But Archie was still figuring out if Cook _uhm_… preferred guys too. So he wasn't entirely sure whether Cook meant to flirt or whatever. He threw a furtive glance over at Cook, smiling diffidently.

One corner of Cook's mouth curled up into a half smile, and his eyes, deep green swirling with golden streaks, looked straight into Archie's own. Archie's heartbeat picked up pace and he thought he felt the earth move underneath his feet. Then he felt something warm wrap around his arm, and when he looked down, he realized Cook's was holding him.

"Did you boys feel that?" Lupe's voice pulled Archie out of his daze.

And Archie uttered, "Huh?" at the same time Cook spoke, "I did."

"Nah, that's nothing to be alarmed about." Archie's dad stepped down from the porch, waving a hand as if to emphasize what he'd said. 'You must be the volcanologist Lupe told me about. David Cook, right?" He held out a hand to Cook. "Name's Jeff." Then they started talking about minor quakes and what?

Archie felt completely at a loss, especially when his sister, Jazzy, came up to him and asked, "Did you feel the earthquake?"

He almost said 'no' but then he knew he'd either sound stupid or be obvious that he was distracted by… by something, so Archie had to lie. "Yeah. Wow. That was something, wasn't it?"

But then Jazzy rolled her eyes, shook her head and said, "Archie, that was hardly something. It was like… it happened for about two seconds," then spun on her heel and walked away.

Archie thoughtfully counted up to ten to regain his composure. With his two sisters and younger brother now in tow, Archie drove them all up to the other side of the lake surrounding Fuller's peak, where Cook wanted to go first.

Once they've reached their destination, his sisters, Jazzy and Amber, hopped out and started roaming around with their mom right behind them. Before Archie could follow Cook, who had gone ahead toward the water, Daniel caught up with him.

"Saw the way you looked at him." The rise and fall in Daniel's tone clearly meant he was teasing. "Archie's got a boyfriend," Daniel sung and before Archie could retaliate, he went off, sprinting toward their sisters.

Choosing to ignore the giggles that his sisters shared, his brother's smug expression, and their mother's knowing look, Archie joined Cook at the shore.

It took nearly a year for Archie's family to accept his sexuality and even then, he wasn't certain how they would feel if ever he had a boyfriend. He'd had casual dates, but hadn't really gotten into a serious relationship. His older sister, Claudia, had been trying to hook him up with her friends from New York, where she now lived.

"Hey," he said casually, when he reached Cook's side. Cook held a flask and Archie watched him dip it into the river. "What are you doing?"

"I need to test the water's acidity level," Cook explained, pouring some of the water into a handheld gadget.

Archie watched the numbers on the device change. "Is it bad?" he said, noticing the creases on Cook's forehead.

"I dunno." Cook shrugged. "I'll have to send this back to the main headquarters so they can compare this from the readings they took months ago." Cook's eyes wandered around the area. "Would you know when those trees died?" He pointed at the trees in the distance.

"Not sure." Archie never really paid too much attention to such details. "Maybe they died during winter?" A small groan of disappointment escaped Archie's mouth when he heard his mom and sisters approaching.

"Can we go the hot springs, mom? Please" came Amber's voice and Jazzy echoed her request. "I have a bathing suit packed. Maybe we can go swimming."

Lupe looked like she was torn between wanting to acquiesce and needing to decline. She shifted her eyes on Cook. "Would you mind another detour?"

"Not at all, go ahead." Now Archie could tell that Cook wasn't only trying to be polite or courteous, he was genuinely nice. And patient.

They drove another five minutes to get to the area where the hot spring was. The place wasn't at all fancy and… and Archie wasn't sure if it was even hygienic since it was open to the public. He didn't understand how his sisters could even think of getting in the water when… when they don't even know who'd been there.

So when Lupe, Daniel and the girls had gone ahead, Archie lingered, watching Cook take pictures of the scenery. He was entranced with how observant Cook was, noticing the difference between cluster of trees and unusual rock formations and—

A scream filled the air, sending a rush of bloodcurdling chill throughout Archie's body. It was Amber. Archie would recognize her voice anywhere. He dashed toward the forest, heart beating wildly against his chest. And… and Cook was running beside him.

When they came upon Archie's family, their eyes were all on the ground. Archie followed their gazes and noticed there were dead squirrels and rabbits all around.

"Are they dead, Daniel?" Amber's voice quivered, her arms wrapped around their mom's waist. When Daniel poked on one of the dead creatures with a broken branch from a tree, Amber screamed at him, "Don't touch it!"

"Maybe there's some kind of an epidemic around," Archie suggested, but he had a feeling something weird was going on.

"Well, let's just get going, okay? Dan, can you take Amber with you?" Lupe said, then she turned to Cook, her face was defined with worry and concern. "Do you think this has anything to do with the minor quakes and abrupt climate changes, Cook?"

Cook shrugged. "I'm really not sure. I don't want to speculate." But Archie could tell there was something Cook wasn't telling them. He didn't know why, but he could read it in Cook's eyes.

The unsettling feeling weighed heavier on Archie's gut when they got to the hot spring spot. Steam billowed around the area. Archie could feel the heat clawing at his skin. Strong, foul odor nipped at his nostrils. He wasn't sure if it was normal. He'd been to the place only twice before at a friend's dare. And that had been years ago.

"Pee-eew." Jazzy pinched her nose. "I don't think I'd wanna go in there."

"Oh c'mon, Jazzy. Be adventurous." Daniel had shucked off his shirt and had taken off his shoes and socks, leaving him with his running shorts on. He backed off a few meters. "Watch me do a cannonball."

Archie could hear her sisters cheering. But he was no longer paying attention to his siblings' banters. There was something not right, something that made his chest constrict. He wasn't sure if he was imagining things but he thought he saw the water bubble for a moment, like it was boiling. "Cook?"

The other man likewise gazed out into the water. Eyes focused. A single line sat on his forehead. Then Cook turned, blurting, "No, don't," just in time to grab Daniel, who was about to jump in.

Soft wind blew past them, clearing some of the steam hovering above the water. Then Jazzy and Amber screamed.

There were two bodies floating at the other side. A quick look gave Archie a safe assumption that it was a man and a woman. Archie dared another glance and all he could see were the people's backs, all bare, red and blistered, as if burned.

=0==0=

**2 – **  
_Its burning my soul_

"Two people are dead, Simon." Cook did his best to keep his voice at a professional level but his fucking boss was being stubborn. "You sent me here to investigate. Now I'm telling you that this town may be in a …" He paused to steal a glance at the cops wandering around the area before lowering his voice. "This town may be in a serious situation, Simon. So send the fucking team here as soon as you can."

"Are you sure those people didn't die of any other cause?" Skepticism weaved through every word Simon uttered. And Cook had a ridiculous wish of getting his hands passed through his phone so he could strangle Simon.

"They had third degree burns and the water's temperature is rapidly rising to boiling point. What other fucking evidence do you need? Damn it!" Cook could hear his voice echoing and noticed the paramedics, who had come to retrieve the bodies, watching him.

"Fine." Simon sounded like he was conceding against his will. "We'll be there first thing in the morning."

When the call ended, Cook heard Lupe telling Archie to go ahead and take his siblings with him. "Cook and I will need to go down to the station with the sheriff."

Something glimmered across Archie's face – a hint of painful reluctance. "But mom—"

"Please David." Lupe raised a hand, cutting Archie off, resoluteness apparent on her tone. "Just take your brother and sisters home."

Cook didn't know why, couldn't yet understand why there was a sharp tweak in his chest at the sight of Archie looking dejected. And the words "I'll see you back at the inn tonight" were out, before he could even ponder further.

It wasn't supposed to mean anything, just a casual _see-you-later_ line of gab, but the way Archie brightened and Lupe's lips pursed, Cook had a feeling he'd hit a spot.

There was this inner battle swirling around his head, his conscience ripped in half. One half telling him to _go for it_, and perhaps this was what he needed – to deal with the shit that's been bugging him or something similar to what Michael had said. And the other half – well, the other half was telling him that it would be a mistake to get himself involved with someone he probably could lose and that he would most likely get hurt all over again. Just like… just like with Andy.

"So what now?" Lupe yanked Cook out of his contemplation and he tried to recall whether they were in a middle of discussing something really important or – or if he'd been quiet throughout the ride. He couldn't even remember leaving the hot springs area. _Damn._ This boy – young man really had his head all mixed up now. "Cook?"

"Umm…" Cook pushed his mind to focus on the situation at hand. Considering the handful of substantial information he'd been able to gather and using past experiences to form an analogy, Cook thought it was safe to suggest, "You might need to call a city council meeting as soon as possible."

Lupe agreed. Pulling her phone out, she began making calls. They had reached the town proper when she had just finished talking to her ex-husband, Cook presumed, since he heard her say Jeff's name more than twice.

"I couldn't tell them what the meeting would be about. Yet," Lupe started with a sigh. "So most of them refused to drop what they're currently doing in favor of an unscheduled meeting." She looked out the window, running a hand through her dark hair. And Cook wondered if she was watching the people who were still having fun at the – whatever festival the town was celebrating. "Tell me Cook. What do you think are the chances that this town might be in danger?"

"I've seen signs similar to Fourpeaked Mountain. Change in climate, acidity level of the water in the surrounding rivers and streams were unstable." Cook paused when he noticed that they had almost reached the local police station. "You'd have to understand, though. Ninety percent of the time, these signs often lead to false alarms."

Lupe shifted slightly in the back seat to face Cook. "And the other ten percent?"

Scenes from the last eruption Cook had witnessed flashed in his mind. "Is something I hope will never happen."

"This won't take long mayor," the sheriff said as soon as the car came to a stop. Cook and Lupe followed him to his office and as promised, they weren't held up too long. Cook had already given them a rundown of what happened before leaving the hot springs, so they were brought there merely for formality.

"I sent Archie a text message earlier, asking him to keep you company," Lupe told Cook on their way out of the police station. And as if Lupe had said the magic word, Archie was right there, leaning against the white Hybrid. "I wish I could still show you around, but I have a headstrong seventeen-year-old son to deal with and…"

"Don't worry about it." Cook pulled his lips up into a smile, remembering how he was when he was Daniel's age, or maybe much younger, but he'd been there – being rebellious and all, after his parents got divorced. He knew it was none of his business, but he ended up asking Lupe if they had tried getting Daniel into some activity relevant to his interests. "That was what my mom did after she and Dad got divorced so I could sort of divert my attention to other things. It helped, I guess. I hardly noticed Dad wasn't around much. Well, he wasn't really around often to begin with, anyway."

"Why's that?" Lupe leaned against their car, beside Archie.

"Well, Dad's also a volcanologist. So he traveled a lot." Cook recounted some of the places where his dad had brought him and his brothers along and admitted that it was because of the exposure that he ended up with the same profession.

There was a spark of interest – or at least Cook hoped it was interest – that went past Archie's eyes and Archie lifted a hand but then pulled it back, tucked it behind him and cleared his throat instead. "What would you have been if uhm – well, not what you are now?"

"A rock star." Cook could feel the grin stretching across his face when Archie's face twitched, his eyebrow arched, like he was dubious, perhaps not sure whether to believe Cook.

But it was Lupe who said, "Seriously?"

Cook chuckled, shaking his head while shifting his weight from one leg to the other. Then he told them a concise version of how he was in a band while in college, playing in gigs but had to quit later so he could focus on his studies.

A car horn sounded just as Lupe had started telling Cook that Archie was supposed to pursue music as a career but ended up choosing journalism instead. "Hey Brooke!" Lupe waved over at her assistant. "I asked her to come pick me up so Archie wouldn't need to drive me home," she told Cook. "You boys enjoy the rest of the day."

Once Brooke's car was out of sight, Archie smiled up at Cook brightly. "So where would you want to go?"

It was already dark then. And as much as Cook wanted to spend more time with Archie, he could feel the pressure of fatigue pulling at every nerve in his body. "To be honest, I was thinking of a quick dinner then hopefully call it a night."

Archie's smile faltered for a second but was back as quickly as it faded, although, it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Sure," he said, "you must be tired."

Before Archie could pull the car door open, Cook pressed his palm against the frame and leaned closer, keeping Archie in place, the other hand went straight to the back of his neck, rubbing on a spot.

"Listen I uhm…" Words didn't come easy when it came to this – pre-dating jitters and all that shit. And it had been too long since Cook last did this – he didn't even dare do it with Andy. Because he was too much of a coward and had too many _'what ifs'_ that he didn't even try to– Cook jerked his head, shaking Andy out of his thoughts. Andy was dead. And… And Archie was there looking up at him, waiting for whatever the fuck he was going to say. "Why don't we head back to the inn, and maybe you have some DVDs we can watch until I pass out and…"

"Oh." Archie's face lit up, and the spark in his eyes that had been making Cook's heart do cartwheels returned. "How does 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' sound?"

"You're kidding." Cook couldn't tear his eyes away from Archie's eyes. "I love that show."

"My uhm…" Archie fidgeted, his fingers tugging at the hem of his shirt, lower lip wedged between his teeth, eyes darted on the ground. "My sister, Claudia, left her DVD collection with me and kinda forgot about it so…"

"I'd love to watch it with you, Arch," Cook said and Archie glanced up at him furtively, dark eyelashes fluttering, and the corner of his mouth curling into what Dave could sense was a flirtatious smile. _Fuck. _

=0=

Perhaps it wasn't an ideal first date, or if Archie could even call it a date. But whatever. Cook was all gentlemanly and nice and cool to be with and made watching a comedy show a lot more fun because… Because Cook loved to laugh even at the shallowest of jokes and his laugh was like music to Archie's ears.

Archie enjoyed spending time with Cook, and he couldn't even remember when he'd fallen asleep or how he made it back to his quarters. Maybe Cook guided him? Or… Or maybe Cook carried him? Which would be, gosh, embarrassing.

At least Cook looked refreshed when Archie saw him that morning. And Cook looked really handsome in his pink plaid shirt and dark tight jeans and—

"Yo Archie!" Syesha, their innkeeper, stood at the doorway that connected the main foyer and café area, one hand resting on her hip, and Archie had no idea how long she'd been there or if she'd been watching him daydream. "Are you even with me?" Syesha's voice broke through his daze once more.

"Hmm?"

Then Syesha shook her head, lips spread into a wide smile. "Oh no, it's that volcano guy, isn't it?"

"He's a volcanologist, Sy." Archie went back to his task of straightening up the coffee counter, wiping off the surface with the rag he'd been clutching.

"Whatever." Syesha blew away a stray lock from her face. "I just came to tell you that his friends have arrived, and I gave them the rooms on the second level as you instructed."

"Thanks."

Syesha made a move to leave but then said, "Oh!" and swiveled in place to face Archie once more. "I gave them full access to the den near the main entrance where I told them they could set up their equipment and all those stuffs they brought."

As soon as Syesha left, a man wearing a gray shirt walked in. And one of the first things Archie noticed was his hair, which seemed to have been cropped meticulously, making him look like one of the male dolls with stiff hair that came with his sisters' Barbie collection.

"Hi." Archie greeted, dropping the rag discreetly on one of the hidden shelves.

"Hi. I'm Simon Cowell. I was wondering if you could tell me where I could find David Cook." The man had a thick British accent and Archie remembered Cook mentioning his boss' name so…

"He's with my mom at town hall right now. I think they're having a city council meeting." But Archie belatedly regretted having told the man – _uhm,_ Simon – where Cook was or what Cook could be doing when Simon's expression morphed from friendly to confused to something close to being miffed.

"I see" was all Simon said and added, "Thank you," before stepping outside.

Archie wondered if he should call Cook and warn him that his boss was, _uhm_, on his way. But then he didn't want to bother Cook if he was in some meeting.

A thousand thoughts were playing tag in his head when a group of people came pouring into the café.

=0=

  
  


=0=

"I don't think placing the town on alert is necessary, Lupe," Jeff nearly hissed while he constantly threw deathly glares over to Cook. "I mean consider the damage it might cause if this turns out as nothing but a false alarm."

The meeting had been going on for hours. And Cook could feel the beginning of a nasty headache.

"I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to agree with Jeff," another council member, Randy Jackson, spoke up. And he stated the pros and cons that would affect real estate values if the town would be alerted of a catastrophe that might or might not happen.

"But Randy, two people are dead! How many more must we see before we do something about it." It was Dr. Paula Abdul who spoke this time and she was clearly on Cook's side.

Lupe had to be in the middle, some kind of mediator until everyone could come to an agreement. Cook could tell she was also fighting off a headache, seeing as how she was constantly rubbing on her temple. "Can we just… let's just vote on it, okay?"

Cook was about to remind them what he had learned so far, to give them some facts but then Simon ambled in, eyes roving among the council members before settling on him.

"What's going on, Dave?" There was an edge in Simon's voice that suggested this wasn't going to go well, that whatever _fucking_ plan Cook suggested to the mayor would be thrown out the window.

"Everyone, this is my boss, Simon Cowell." Cook then turned to Simon and explained that the council had been discussing whether or not to put the town on alert. "We were just about to vote on it."

Then Simon smiled deviously at the council, saying, "Excuse me," before leaning closer to Cook, close enough to hear Simon whisper through gritted teeth. "Can I talk to you outside for a moment?"

When they were at the hallway, safely out of anyone's earshot, Simon rattled on. "What the hell were you thinking?" _And, okay._

First, Cook was practically forced to come out there in the first place. And he was sent there to investigate, to determine whether the town was in danger. Now that he'd come up with answers, hypothetical they might be, he couldn't believe that his own boss seemed skeptical about it.

"Look, Dave. Let me take over from here." The way Simon had said it – straight-faced and unyielding – broke every fiber of hope Cook had in saving the town's residents.

"You're making a big mistake" was all Cook could squeeze out of his thoughts. He was desperate, now that Simon clearly would not to listen to reason.

"Take my advice and go on vacation. I'll see you in a couple of weeks." Simon returned to the meeting room, leaving Cook standing at the hallway, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

Cook could hear what Simon was telling the members of the council, about his experience some years ago in Britain where he was certain that a dormant volcano would erupt and had advised against good judgment to put the town on alert. Cook knew about this story, about how it turned out that the signs were merely false alarm. But it was too late. The town's economy plummeted, real estate suffered when property values dropped, and investments were pulled out.

Not wanting to hear more, Cook left without saying a word to anyone. Simon's voice, saying, "We have a team who would set up equipment to monitor the volcano's activity. If we see any definite sign that it might erupt, we would notify you immediately," faded behind him.

_Yeah right. _ Cook continued to grumble as he rounded a corner leading out of the building. He knew there was a possibility that the moment they see an obvious indication of probable eruption, it might be too late to save the town. But if Simon wanted him out of the way, then that was exactly what he would do. He didn't need another catastrophe on his conscience.

It wasn't long before he'd reached the inn. He decided to slip through the back door unnoticed, knowing _fucking_ well that his teammates might have set up a temporary headquarters somewhere near the main entrance. As soon as he stepped into his room, he grabbed his bags and started packing. There was no looking back this time. He should never have come in the first place.

"Cook?" The sound of Archie's voice penetrated the walls that he'd instantly built around him, creeping right through to his heart. _Fuck._ "What are you doing?"

Cook was afraid to turn around, afraid of what he might see if he did. But then something cold grazed his skin, and Cook felt trembling fingertips resting against the slope of his forearm. So Cook twisted his head to face Archie and look into those eyes that were like windows to a world where everything was beautiful and serene.

There was a shift between them, a strong pull that drew Cook closer to Archie. Cook reached out and took a hold of Archie's shoulder then let his hand slip all the way to Archie's back, the other arm coiling around Archie' waist, pulling him in for a hug. Cook had his arms wrapped around Archie longer than he should, but he didn't feel like letting go.

"I'm no longer needed here," Cook said then buried his face in Archie's hair, breathing in his scent, all powdery and musky and — _Fuck._ It made his – his pants feel somehow tighter.

A puff of warm breath against the side of Cook's neck made the hair at his nape stand. "But do you have to go?" Archie's voice came in a whisper, softly caressing Cook's ears.

It hurt to pull back, to look into Archie's eyes, all hopeful and— "Would you like me stay?" _To hell with Simon, and to hell with the city council._ If Cook's instincts weren't playing games, then he wouldn't want to be anywhere else. He might lose the town to Mother Nature's wrath but he wasn't going to stand back and lose Archie, not now after they'd connected.

"Please." Archie almost breathed out the word, sounding more desperate in Cook's ears. "Stay."

That was all Cook needed to send his fucking pride crumbling, to break the chains that kept his heart restrained. "Well, since I'm considered 'on vacation', maybe you can show me around town."

Archie's eyes glinted; lips curved into that heartwarming smile Cook had always craved to see. "Sure. I'll uhm… I'll go check on Syesha first, see if she will be ok on her own considering she has her hands full with your uhm… your colleagues."

"Okay." Cook finally let go of Archie, but the warmth of Archie's body still clung on his own.

The inn wasn't a huge place and Cook, for the life of him, couldn't believe how stupid he was to think he wouldn't run into any, if not all, of his teammates. So when he was sneaking through the stairs to meet Archie at the back, Carly saw him and dragged him all the way to the den.

When Cook went through the door, his wrist still in Carly's deadly grip, the rest of the team's voices filled the room with "there's the fucking shit" and "dude, we were looking for you" and "nice shirt" but it was Chikezie who caught his attention.

"Your theories are down pat, Cook." Chikezie was holding a piece of paper, which Cook presumed held the report he'd sent to Simon the day before.

"What makes you think so?" Cook remained skeptic, knowing that Simon hadn't agreed with him.

"Well." Chikezie used his foot to push against the floor and sent the chair he'd been sitting on gliding across the room. "Using the readings from the acidity level of the water in the lake and the amount of carbon dioxide present on the rocks and plant life among other things you've reported," Chikezie said, his fingers tapping rapidly on the keyboard until a graph appeared on the computer monitor's screen. "I did a comparative analysis against the reports received prior to the eruption of Mount Saint Helen, and look…" His index finger now traced the lines on the graph. "There are a lot of similarities. See?"

Chikezie had a point. But Cook knew where he stood at the moment. "I wish Simon would agree, but he just pulled me off of this assignment." Cook did his best to hide the bitterness in his voice.

"The fuck he did." Michael blurted from behind Cook.

It took a huge amount of pride for Cook to face Michael and tell him, "I'm afraid he did," and endure the sick feeling rising in his stomach upon seeing disappointment flash on his teammates' faces. "I guess I should all wish you luck then," he added, patting Chikezie on the shoulder.

Archie showed up at a perfect time, giving Cook an excuse to leave. Michael offered the key to one of the four-wheel, partly amphibian vehicles they often used on field but Cook refused, settling for the red pick-up truck he had rented.

They drove up the mountains, taking a stroll along the lakeshore. It proved difficult for Cook not to reach out scratch off the black soot that coated the tree trunks or bend down and pick up rocks to observe, which he ended up doing.

"They said a man staring at a rock has a lot in his mind," Archie said, breaking through Cook's cogitation.

Cook chuckled and tossed the rock back on the ground. "I'm sorry. I must make an ultimately boring companion."

"At least you've got gorgeous eyes," Archie said; then his own eyes widened, cheeks turned scarlet and arms flailed as if he had not meant to let the words slip. Cook couldn't help but laugh and was soon bent, clutching on his side.

When laughter faded into soft chuckles, Cook pulled Archie by the waist, laying his palms against Archie's lower back. Cook leaned in, forehead resting against Archie's, and he could feel Archie's hands crawling tentatively on his shoulders.

"I should say the same thing about you, Sir," Cook said softly. His heart thumped wildly, making it hard to push the words out. "I uhm..." Cook closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was as nervous as fuck. "I don't know, Arch. I really haven't been with anybody for a long time. So I'm not sure I know how to do this right."

"I…" Archie cleared his throat, a thread of hesitation spun around wordless seconds before he spoke again. "I haven't been with anyone, I mean, in a serious relationship before. And uhm…"

Cook dared to open his eyes and felt a lump form in his throat upon seeing Archie looking up at him through his thick eyelashes. The depth of Archie's stare pulled Cook in, loosening the last remnants of self-_fucking_-control that had held Cook back.

Their lips met. Brushing. Gliding. Cook savored the softness of Archie's lips, daring to let the tip of his tongue feel the silk-like surface. Then he felt Archie's lips part, and Cook took it as an invitation so he pushed through it warily, loving the small whimpers that rose from Archie's throat.

When they finally pulled away, something different, something Cook couldn't put a name to yet, unfurled within his chest. The sight of Archie – lips kiss-swollen and eyes dark and heavy-lidded – undid Cook. Emotions he had tried to restrain, to keep tucked away deep within his core, came crawling up to the surface.

=0=

It was sundown when they got back to the town proper. They both craved enchiladas and tamales so Archie took Cook to one of the Mexican restaurants in the district, which, Archie claimed, also offered interesting live music.

They talked while having dinner, getting more and more comfortable with each other. The hours stretched on without them noticing.

Archie was away when Simon slid into the seat Archie had vacated.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you decided to stick around," Simon said, but there wasn't any malice in his voice. In fact, he sounded amused somehow.

"I have a pretty good reason" was Cook's reply before downing the last few gulps of beer from his mug.

"I'm sure you do. I might have a pretty good idea what – or shall I say who the reason may be. I'll even bet my car and my house on that." Simon's words were colored with a drop of good-natured teasing. His eyes were trained somewhere behind Cook and before Cook could turn to follow Simon's gaze, Archie appeared right beside him.

"Hi." Archie blinked at Simon. His lips were turned up, bright smile adorning his face.

The corner of Simon's mouth lifted into a tight but genial smile, then he said, "Hello," a bit stiffly. And Cook wasn't _fucking_ sure if he imagined it but Simon's cold demeanor seemed to melt away. "Nice to see you again, lad." Simon's eyes were still on Archie, but then shifted over to Cook when he said, "I was just telling Dave here that I'm glad he chose to stay." Then Simon got up, the beer bottle he'd had with him in his hand. "If you'd excuse me."

Cook watched Simon make his way to the table in the corner and that was when Cook noticed his other teammates. Michael had a bottle raised, as if proposing a toast and Jason mimicked him. Carly and Simon's assistant, Ramiele seemed to be watching Cook and judging from the way Carly cocked her head a little to the side, Cook could only guess naughty thoughts were forming in her brilliant mind.

Archie had just sunk back to his chair when Cook leaned forward, elbows propped on the table. "Wanna go back to the inn?"

Fifteen minutes later, the car was parked in front of the inn and Cook… well, Cook had Archie leaning against the door of Archie's quarters, his lips pressed against Archie's pulse point, feeling the blood rushing toward the spot. One hand was clasped on the door frame to support his weight, the other had made his way underneath Archie's shirt, carefully exploring the plains of Archie' abdomen.

As Cook's hand moved up to feel the contours of Archie's upper torso, he dragged his mouth down Archie's neck at the same time, traced Archie's clavicle with his tongue, dipped the tip into the hollow at the center then licked a path back to Archie's jaw.

Cook ran his teeth lightly along the slope before capturing Archie's lips, earning a strangled moan from the younger man, whose fingers curled tightly on Cook's shirt.

Something warm pooled right beneath Cook's belly. Cook followed his instinct and pulled away before he got too lost in the kiss. And—

"I have to go," Cook said between pants, his lungs seemed to have been deprived of air. His forehead was pressed against Archie's. "I uh— I might not be able to control myself if we go on."

"But—" Archie's voice came in a little whine. And Cook could hear the strand of disappointment twirling around that single word Archie managed to utter. "I want you to. I mean— I want this."

_Fuck_ self-control. _Fuck it_ because it wasn't there when Cook needed it. Cook braced himself, hands now gripping on both sides of the doorframe, hanging on for dear life, hanging on to his remaining fucking morals.

"No, Arch, it's…" Cook's teeth sank in his lower lip while he tried to get the rational part of him together. "Let's take it slow, alright? Not tonight. I mean. It's not that I don't want to just… not yet, okay? I uhm…" He ran his thumb along Archie's jaw before swooping down to give him a chaste kiss. "Good night, Archie. I'll see you tomorrow."

Archie leaned up and brushed his lips at the corner of Cook's mouth. "Good night, Cook."

=0==0=

**3 – **  
_I have lost my belief_

Cook's neck felt a little stiff when he woke up. He had spent the night tossing and turning, trying to get some sleep, but he felt somehow elated. And he hadn't noticed he was whistling when he made his way downstairs and went straight to the tiny café to grab a cup of coffee.

"Good morning, Dave." Lupe was the one behind the counter, and she had just finished talking to a couple of customers when Cook came in.

"Good morning." Cook slid onto a stool, wondering whether he should ask where Archie was but he didn't need to because Lupe was already telling him that she had sent Archie to deliver breakfast to Randy Jackson, who was entertaining guests that morning.

"What will you have?" Lupe shifted her gaze to the glass shelf above the counter and pushed a tray of pastries inside. Then her eyes returned to Cook, all soft and knowing.

Images of Archie pressed up against the wall, looking lascivious with his head thrown back and lips parted, invaded Cook's thoughts. He could feel his cheeks burn, the heat spreading all the way to the back of his neck. Then guilt wormed its way to forefront of his mind.

"Just a cup of coffee please" was what Cook managed to say before tearing his eyes away from the mayor's gaze and pretended to read the menu from the board hanging on the wall.

"What kind? Espresso? Latte? Java?" Lupe went on naming every coffee available and Cook's eyes darted back to the woman and raised his hand in a gesture to stop her from prattling on.

"I'll have regular coffee," Cook said, and quickly added, "with cream and sugar, please."

"David told me you were supposed to leave town yesterday." Lupe grabbed a pot from behind her and poured coffee in the cup that she had placed before Cook.

Cook nodded, muttering, "Thanks," when she handed him his coffee. He was adding some cream and sugar when he heard his name and turned his head slightly to see Ramiele ambling in, a notebook in one hand and a cellphone in the other.

"Simon has been looking for you." Ramiele gabbled on without so much as a 'good morning' and went thumbing through the pages of her notebook. "He wants you to fly over Fuller's Peak with Michael this morning."

"I thought he wanted me off the fucking assignment," Cook ground out, not meaning to be cold towards Ramiele. But she seemed unaffected since a nonchalant shrug was the only reaction she gave before turning to Lupe, who handed her a tray filled with cups, which Cook presumed contained coffee for the crew.

"You and Michael will be leaving in an hour" was all Ramiele said before walking out of the café.

A string of curses threatened to burst out of Cook's mouth but he could feel Lupe's eyes on him so Cook groaned in frustration instead.

"For all its worth, I'm glad you're here." Lupe said, taking on that familiar motherly tone Cook often heard from his own mom. And every negative feeling that was building up inside Cook dissipated. "By the way, how does lasagna sound to you?"

"For breakfast?" Cook pulled his brows together.

"For dinner." The corner of Lupe's mouth curled up, smiling warmly as she said, "I'm inviting you for dinner with the family. Tonight."

=0=

_Dinner. With the family._ Cook had been perturbed with the thought of being around Archie's family. This was something that he wouldn't even be fretting over if this thing with Archie hadn't started. He wasn't even sure if they had officially started dating. But they had gone out and been intimate and, fuck, he was practically an inch away from crossing the line.

He wondered whether Lupe knew about him and Archie, and if she did, he dreaded what she might say about it. He knew he shouldn't worry too much since Archie's an adult and would be able to stand his ground.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're seriously focused on observing that mountain below us." Michael's voice cut through his musings. "But I know better so instead, I'm telling you that I think that kid's got you wrapped around his finger, mate."

"He's not a kid, Mikey," Cook said thoughtfully, not really caring if the whirring of the helicopter's propeller drowned his voice.

"Whatever you say, mate."

They spent half an hour flying above Fuller's Peak and spent the other half on top of a leveled rock taking notes. It was early noon when they finally returned to the inn and had Chikezie run the readings that they were able to gather.

Despite the fact Cook was partially agitated; he got ready for dinner much earlier than he should have. He probably went through half of the wardrobe he'd brought before settling for a dark blue button down shirt and a pair of tight jeans.

Then he spent a good fifteen minutes or so in front of the mirror trying to tame his unruly hair until Archie showed up at his door and dragged him out saying, "You look a lot sexier with your hair tousled and all."

Cook was too nervous to drive so Archie did instead. When they pulled up in front of Lupe's house, Archie turned to him and laughed. "You look like you're about to face final judgment or something."

"That's exactly what it feels like," Cook said, sounding a little helpless.

"My family doesn't bite, you know." There was a playful edge in the way Archie spoke, but it migrated to worry when Cook refused to move from his seat. "Hey, what are you so worried about?"

Cook shook his head and began to say, "Nothing. Let's just…" but the look on Archie's face (like he'd been grounded for the rest of his life) left a pinch of guilt within Cook. So he heaved a sigh, took Archie's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Let's get inside." It proved to be a timely suggestion since Lupe chose to come out of the house at that time.

The dinner was relatively normal, like the ones Cook had with his own family whenever he was in Missouri to visit. Although, he couldn't help but sense the indifference that was steaming out of Daniel, Cook managed to take it in stride and let the rest of the night flow naturally.

It was after dessert when Lupe came up to Cook, touched his arm lightly and said, "Do you mind if we talk in private?" Surprisingly though, Cook didn't feel nervous, he was more relaxed than he had been before getting there.

They sat at the porch for a while, watching the dark clouds part like curtains to reveal thousands of stars that glimmered across the sky. "You know," Lupe started, gazing down at her hands that were resting on her lap before clearing her throat before and adding, "when David came out to us just last year, I was probably the least bit surprised. Because I knew… somehow it felt like I've always known, and I was just waiting, you know." Lupe shifted in her seat to face Cook slightly. "Waiting and hoping that my son would find the courage to peel away the mask that society had forced on him and just… just be himself; comfortable in his own skin."

All the qualms that had been clawing at Cook's sanity evaporated. He had a sudden flash of his own past, images rolling in his mind – his teenage self curled up in his mother's embrace while he spilled out his deepest, darkest secret and his mom stroked his hair, whispering words of assurance and telling him that she loved him no matter what.

"My mom must've felt the same way" were the words that came tumbling out of Cook's mouth, only half aware he had just confessed indirectly that he was in the same league as David.

"I can't speak for all mothers," Lupe said, reaching out to tuck perhaps an invisible stray strand of hair behind Cook's ear. "But some mothers – those sensitive enough to their children's feelings and needs – would see the truth with their hearts."

"How did…" Cook bit on his tongue, knowing that it wasn't his place to ask, but he was just curious. He attempted to take a detour, to say something else, but his mind was set to ask, "How did Jeff react?"

"Oh he was furious." The soft glow in Lupe's eyes faltered, like she was also seeing images from the past. "He was the one who pushed David to reveal his true nature to everyone in the family. But David had already told me before that."

It was stepping way over the line for Cook to pry for more but before he could grasp proper etiquette, he heard himself ask, "What happened?" Then, fuck; he mentally berated his self.

Lupe didn't seem to mind though, because she opened up, telling Cook about the time when Archie decided to leave their church and Jeff found out. "Jeff asked David about it, forced a reason out of him. Of course, when Archie told him the truth, Jeff… well, he just lost it." And Lupe recounted how Jeff ended up throwing painful words at their son until Lupe could no longer stand it. "Well, the argument spiraled from one thing to another, reopening wounds and gradually led to the divorce."

After Lupe had practically shared half of their family's story, Cook felt compelled to share his own, when Lupe began asking things like "have you ever been married?"

"No ma'm," Cook said in answer and explained that he traveled a lot, even before he completed his studies, so it was difficult to keep a relationship. "Hawaii, Colombia, Indonesia, Philippines," he had rambled on when Lupe asked what places he'd been to outside the U.S. "I've been thrown to places where ever there's a volcano with issues."

They must have talked for more than an hour. Cook lost track of time. If Lupe hadn't checked her watch, gasped and said, "Oh my, it's pretty late. I'm expecting some investors from New York early tomorrow," they wouldn't have moved from their comfortable spot. But before they could return inside the house, Lupe laid her palm on Cook's forearm and said, "You're a good man, Cook. I think David chose well."

=0=

  
  


=0=

In the next week, Archie got into a routine of bringing coffee and sandwiches to Cook and his team every morning. He had befriended everyone, even Simon, who wasn't too stiff all the time. Since Archie hadn't planned anything for his spring break, he decided to stick around and perhaps learn something new everyday.

"So. What do these squiggly lines mean?" Archie pointed at a long, continuous paper that was rolling out from a machine. Lines – straight ones, curved and zigzagged ones – were printed on it.

"Those readings indicate microquakes that our seismometers have picked up," Jason explained, adding that they had been able to record fifty to seventy-five microquakes daily. _Omigosh._

"Well, well. Lookie here. Seacrest has arrived." Chikezie's eyes were on one of the monitors that showed a yellow pick-up track pulling into the parking lot in front of the inn.

Archie followed Jason and Chikezie outside, where they found Cook standing at the back of the yellow truck, peeling away a gray cloak from whatever it was underneath it.

Michael hopped onto the vehicle, despite of Carly's warning that he might twist his ankle (again), and helped Cook remove the cover. Soon, Archie was staring up at something that closely resembled R2D2 from the Star Wars movie. "Uhm…"

"Arch, meet Seacrest. That's S-E-A-C-R-E-S-T actually." Then Cook began to tell Archie what the acronym meant but Archie was too busy watching the robot thing descend from the truck's rear to the ground, with Jason and Chikezie guiding it. Cook jumped down, dusted his hands and slung an arm around Archie's shoulder.

Curiosity was nudging at Archie's hindbrain. He looked around him and skimmed through the faces of Cook's teammates before his gaze fell back on the robot – S.E.A.C.R.E.S.T. Archie gave an almost embarrassing squeak when the thing lurched forward and started moving. "What uhm… what does that thing do exactly?"

"It picks up any changes in the air and on the ground," Michael began, "like changes in temperature or the slightest shift of rocks beneath the ground, or… it can do almost anything, mate."

"Yeah. Except think on its own," Carly pointed out, her eyes glinting with mischief when Michael got _all_ defensive over the, _uhm_, Seacrest.

Then Archie just sort of mumbled, "What does Seacrest mean again?" and was bemused when Cook started laughing. Or more like chuckling, because it was all soft and… and—

"You totally weren't listening, man." Cook's hands were coiled around the back of his neck, his palm all warm and – oh gosh – and Cook's thumb, rough but… but nice, rubbing against his nape, making Archie feel dazed and tingly all over.

So David _kind of_ forgot to ask what S.E.A.C.R.E.S.T stood for or maybe Cook had repeated it but Archie wasn't totally paying attention. Curious enough, Archie watched them work with the robot over the next couple of days, and Michael told him (quite enthusiastically, might he add) that they were going to like, bring Seacrest over the mountain.

On the day S.E.A.C.R.E.S.T was supposed to, _uhm_, make his debut and Michael was 'preparing' him (which totally sounded, _oh gosh_, dirty the way Michael had said 'preparing' in this deep voice while wiggling his eyebrows at Cook, who kept laughing and laughing and Archie thought his, _uhm_, boyfriend had gone crazy), the robot decided to make weird movements like he was malfunctioning or something.

The rest of Cook's teammates gathered around, and Ramiele, while chewing on the non-writing end of her pen, just blurted, "That's some of piece of junk."

"No, no, no." Michael had his hand raised like he was ready to defend the robot. "I think I know what's wrong." Then he had a finger pointing downward, drawing a circle in the air while saying, "Turn around everyone." And when Cook said his name – Michael's name – in this reprimanding, serious tone, Michael just shrugged. "I know what I'm doing, Cook. Just… turn around, mate."

But no one really moved, so Archie just watched Michael pull out something – like a metal backpack – from behind S.E.A.C.R.E.S.T and dropped the thing (which looked really heavy) on the table beside him. Archie saw something painted on top of the pack and it read: R.Y.A.N. Underneath it was, Archie guessed, what each letter stood for, written in smaller fonts: Remote Ybit Advanced Navigator.

"You're out of your mind Michael." The sound of Carly's voice pulled Archie out of his trance. "NASA's gonna have your pretty little ass if they find out."

"IF. They find out," Michael said with a little more stress on _'if'_. "But none of us will tell, right?"

"We'll have to take Seacrest up to the mountain." Cook's breath brushed against the side of Archie's face. "I guess I'll see you later."

=0=

"So you finally found the balls to tell the kid you like him. Glad to see you didn't hold back this time, like you did with Andy." Michael's voice rang, reverberating within the hollow of Cook's eardrums. Or maybe it was the pressure from being up on the mountain. "So tell me, have you finally gotten laid, mate?"

"Fuck off. That's none of your fucking business" was Cook's noncommittal response while trying to concentrate on guiding S.E.A.C.R.E.S.T down the rocky terrain using a remote control.

Michael let out a bark of laughter that sounded mocking and pesky. "Well, have you?"

Cook could only sigh, knowing that his friend wouldn't drop the subject. So he shook his head and hissed his reply. "No."

"What? Oh Come on." And Michael went on with his lengthy lecture of how, _maybe_, Cook was doing it wrong and gave some silly suggestions on how to coax Archie into doing it; his Australian drawl becoming thick in Cook's ears.

A good retort was swirling in Cook's mind. Something to remind Michael that he himself had most likely been lacking sex since he got divorced more than a year ago. But instead, the words that went past his lips were "oh shit."

The robot had stopped moving.

"I think it's stuck" was Michael's observation. "I'm going down to check."

"No, wait. Are you insane?" Cook gazed down the slope. It was too steep to climb down, too dangerous. But before he could stop Michael, his friend was already making his way down, gripping tightly on the rope that was attached to his waist. "Fine. Just…" Cook grabbed the other end of the rope and carefully eased Michael down. "Just be careful."

"What's going on there?" Simon's voice came through the handheld radio that Cook practically forgot was hanging against his hip. Cook grabbed the radio and gave Simon a brief rundown of the situation. "Be careful, you two." The genuine concern that twined in every word Simon had uttered sounded alien to Cook's ears, so Cook was consciously aware that he sounded impassive when he responded.

"We will."

Michael had finally reached the spot where the robot had stopped. And Cook being used to Michael's _not-so-gentle_ treatment to any technological stuff, just watched Michael kick the poor thing.

The radio hissed. But Cook barely heard what Simon said. "I'm sorry, Simon, you're breaking up." Cook spoke into the device.

Simon's voice came through it once more but his words were broken by the annoying scratchy sound they usually hear whenever there was a strong electronic interference or something. Listening closely, Cook realized Simon seemed to be repeating the same phrase over and over and Cook did his best to string Simon's words together but all he could come up with were "get out" and "there" and "seismic vibration" and "your way".

Before Cook could determine what Simon was trying to say, he heard the rumbling from the higher peak and felt the vibration beneath his feet. Then a small quake hit, but he and Michael were right in the epicenter. Cook lost his balance and fell butt first on the ground. He thought he heard Michael yell, as if in pain.

When the shaking stopped, Cook looked down to see boulders of rock on the spot where he last saw Michael. "Mikey!"

Cook hooked the radio back on his belt, grabbed the rope and tied it around his waist; then began descending, ignoring Simon's holler, demanding to report about their current situation. Once he'd reached the cluster of rocks, he could hear Michael groaning. "Mikey! Talk to me, buddy."

"Fuck. Remind me never to do this again" came Michael's muffled voice.

There were a thousand versions of _ 'I-told-you-so's'_ running in Cook's head at the time but what came out was "are you okay?" Which was probably the silliest question because…

"I think my leg's broken," Michael responded, anyway. Then he moaned through gritted teeth when he grabbed his leg and tried to pull it out from under a rock.

"Wait, no, let me," Cook said and he started clearing the area around Michael, lifting rocks, some were light enough but some were as heavy as the weights he sometimes used at the gym.

Simon's voice floated from the radio. Cook snatched it off from his belt and blurted, "Simon, Michael's hurt, send the chopper quick."

Cook dared to look at Michael's leg, lifting the fabric of his pants carefully and saw the skin all bloody with a gash probably half a foot long. Cook winced. He wasn't really fond of seeing blood but he just learned to endure it over the years.

"So about the kid" were the next words Michael blundered out and Cook just shook his head but gave in. They talked about Archie, anything to keep Michael's mind off his injured leg while they waited for the helicopter to rescue them.

=0=

Cook had not forgotten how the minor quake felt, like the earth was trying to communicate with him. And his damn instinct had been working overtime, making him restless and agitated.

Not even the doctor's assurance that Michael would be all right was enough to placate the uneasy feeling that made Cook's heart thump wildly against the walls of his chest.

"We just had to fix a few nerves before stitching him up, but other than that, there's nothing else to worry about." The doctor's words floated around Cook's conscious mind. "He might have to keep his leg in a cast for six months at the most." The doctor continued to give him and Simon the gist of Michael's condition.

When the doctor left them at the hallway, just outside Michael's hospital room, Cook hung on to every thread of desperation and told Simon, "We have to put this town on alert, Simon. You should have heard the way that volcano rumbled." But Simon was already shaking his head. "Please, Simon, think about it. Try to consider starting an evacuation plan for those within a ten kilometer radius."

"What happened isn't enough to raise an alarm, Dave. We have no reasonable evidence to start a systematic evacuation yet." Simon insisted and when Cook pressed on, Simon simply shook his head resolutely and left.

Cook returned to Michael's room deep in thought. He couldn't explain it, not even to himself. But there was something about Fuller's Peak that bothered him. The feeling boiled within his stomach, churning, rising up to his chest and it was stuck there like a giant fist, making it hard for him to breathe. Damn, he hated his instinct, hated the fact that people around him refused to heed his warnings. Sometimes he thought it was best to keep it to himself, let it eat away his sanity.

The thought was unsettling though. The mountain seemed harmless but knowing what was going on underneath it suggested otherwise. It was too… deceiving.

"Coo-oook." The sound of his friends' voices singing out his name… or last name… reminded Cook where he was.

A sigh rose from Cook's chest. He contemplated on whether to get his friends involved for about five seconds before he spoke. "Guys, I need your help to convince Simon that he really should put this town on alert." He thought he sounded convincing enough, but doubted if he did the moment he saw Carly shaking her head.

"I hate to say this, Cook, but Simon's right." Carly sat on the edge of Michael's bed. "The signs we've seen so far aren't enough to suggest that this volcano will erupt soon. It's possible, yes. But it may take years."

"I'm afraid Carly has a point." It was a bit surprising that Jason was sharing his opinion, but he still couldn't look straight into Cook's eye. "One thing we can't risk is raising a false alarm."

Cook couldn't believe what he was hearing. For the past days, he was sure he had Carly and Jason agreeing with his theories. The chain of frustration that Simon had wrapped around his neck was nothing compared to how he felt right at that moment. He could feel the beginnings of shoulder pains.

"Don't fret, mate." There wasn't the usual mocking timbre when Michael spoke. "I still believe you. I was up there with you, don't forget. I'll talk to Simon as soon as I get out of this depressing place."

So Michael did speak with Simon a day later but he apparently got the same answer. Michael didn't make it easy for Simon though. Cook should know because he heard Michael and Simon argue about it, their voices resounded from the den and could clearly be heard from the café where Cook and the others settled after they were asked to leave the room.

The pressure was giving Cook a nasty headache. But he was glad that Archie was always around. Archie's touches surely brought him relief, made every nerve in his body relax.

=0==0=

**4—**  
_I burn on the flame_

It was like a switch had been flicked.

One week was filled with seismic activities, erratic change in temperature, reports of animals moving from their habitat, steam rising from the small vents around the Fuller's Peak, among other things.

Then the next week there was nothing.

It was unreal that the climate had suddenly become stable and the other signs they had devotedly kept their eyes on had slipped back into normalcy.

Simon called for everyone in the team one night after a week of nothing but silence. They were all at the den. Other than the occasional murmurs, the only sound that filled the room while they waited for Simon to hang up the phone was the constant beeping from their equipment. Cook took notice of the long intervals that stretched between high-pitched bleeps, which was an indication that —

"Alright team." Simon's voice sliced through Cook's contemplation. "The seismologists from our facility has just confirmed that there hasn't been any activity for a week. The mountain has been silent. It looks like it has fallen back to sleep."

"So what do we do now?" Michael carefully lowered his leg – the one that had been in a cast since the accident.

Without so much as a glance at the rest of the team, Simon kept his eyes on the computer screen. "Since we have installed monitoring devices all over the area, we can watch from our headquarters in L.A." When each of them ground out their concerns and complaints, Simon said, "I'm sorry, guys. I know you were anticipating a show. But apparently, God seemed to have other plans."

After some nonsensical speech, Simon had ordered everyone to pack up. "We leave tomorrow at noon."

_Fuck, fuck, fuck._

Despite the lack of recorded activity, Cook still felt that it would be a huge mistake on their part to leave. But Cook didn't bother telling Simon because he knew that the man would refuse to listen.

That night, instead of drowning himself in beer and alcohol like he usually did when he was exasperated, Cook ended up in Archie's bedroom, lying face down. He might be stupid when it came to challenging Simon's decisions as Carly had claimed earlier, but he wasn't dumb to decline when Archie offered to give him a massage.

Every inch of skin that Archie's fingers came in contact with burned, the heat piercing through Cook's flesh, sending a rush of blood through his veins and straight down his groin. Cook heard some sort of a strangled moan and wondered if the sound came from his own throat.

Cook felt Archie bend over, could feel Archie's breath against the back of his ear. "Did that hurt?" Archie's voice, all husky and soft, sent chills down Cook's spine.

"No. Felt good" were the only coherent words Cook could enunciate. The loss of Archie's warmth on his naked back made Cook whimper or some other weird noise might have made it past his lips that had Archie giggling. Then he gasped out a sound that was ripped from his chest, something between pain and pleasure, when he felt the heel of Archie's palm press hard against his shoulder blades. Prickling sensation shot throughout his body when Archie's long fingers crept around the sides where Cook's neck met his shoulders, kneading expertly and giving more pressure on the right spots.

Something cool pressed against the back of Cook's neck and Cook soon realized it was Archie's lips grazing along his hairline. Cook shivered when Archie's tongue licked a path toward Cook's ear, and Cook grumbled lowly when he felt his earlobe caught lightly between Archie's teeth.

The jeans Cook wore tightened against his crotch and couldn't hold back the expletive that threatened to burst forth from his chest. "Fuuuuuck." It came out guttural, like a tortured animal's cry.

The pain on Cook's shoulder was forgotten when he felt Archie's hard-on press against his hip. Cook shoved the remaining thread of morals aside and twisted his body until he lay on his back then pulled Archie on top of him, his arms snaking around Archie's waist.

"Hmm… This is quite uncomfortable." Archie wiggled against Cook's hold.

"Yeah?" Cook challenged, his voice might have held a level of confidence but he was actually nervous. His whole body trembled with want, the spot just beneath his belly aching with need. He wanted Archie and he only hoped he hadn't read Archie wrong, hoped he was right about thinking that Archie wanted this too.

"Mhmm.," Archie hummed while he shifted, one leg slid over Cook's thigh. Archie lifted himself up, hands propped on either side of Cook's head. Then Archie's knees bumped against his hips when Archie moved to straddle him.

When Archie swooped down to capture his lips, their erections brushed, urging a desperate whimper out of both men.

Soon, Cook rolled them over and he hovered on top of Archie for a while, tracing the contours of Archie's face with his finger. "You're so beautiful," he said before leaning in to press his lips against Archie's already swollen ones.

No words were spoken for a while. Once they had stripped their clothes off and were left with only their boxer briefs on, Cook let his hands roam all over Archie's body, his fingers memorizing every slope, every dent, every hard muscle he came in contact with and sometimes… sometimes his lips would follow the invisible trail that his fingers had left.

The sounds Archie made nearly drove Cook out of his _fucking_ mind. He had his mouth gliding down Archie's torso when—

"Archie?" Syesha's voice rang out, followed by a loud rapping against Archie's door.

"Omigosh." Archie sat up abruptly, almost knocking Cook off the bed. He had his arms crossed in front of him in a lame attempt to cover up his nakedness. "I'm coming!" he called out when Syesha's insistent knocking came once more and hurriedly slide out of bed but lost his footing and ended up falling on the floor.

Cook swung his feet at the edge just as Archie was getting back on his feet. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

Soft chuckles ruffled in Cook's chest while he watched Archie collect his clothes from the floor and couldn't help but be amazed with how fast Archie slipped his jeans on.

"Oh my gosh. Stop laughing and get dressed." Archie pushed his shirt through his head as he was scurrying out to his tiny receiving room.

Cook shook his head and pressed his palm on his softening penis, a speck of disappointment tainting his mood. _Damn, that was close._ He got dressed half as quickly as Archie did, straining to hear Archie and Syesha's conversation.

It wasn't a difficult task since Syesha's voice resounded across the quarters. "I think we've got a problem with the plumbing."

Archie's "excuse me?" quickly followed.

"The water's all dirty, like rusty? And it smells weird" was what Syesha said next and Cook found her standing at the doorway when he stepped out of the bedroom, t-shirt still in his hand. "Oh." A grin spread across Syesha's face when her eyes landed on Cook and then wiggled her eyebrows at Archie, who rolled his eyes and took the glass filled with colored liquid from Syesha's hand.

Archie brought the glass close to his nose but pulled it away immediately, his nose scrunched and eyebrows furrowed. "Eeww. That's gross."

"Here let me," Cook said. After Archie handed Cook the glass, Cook also brought it up to his nose and a landslide of dread came crushing down on him the moment the smell grazed his nostrils. He was prompted to ask Syesha. "Where did you get this?"

"From the kitchen" was Syesha's reply.

Cook darted to Archie's private bathroom and turned on the faucet from the sink. The water that spilled out had the same rusty color. Cook scooped some of it in his hand and bent over the sink to smell it. "Fuck." He turned to Archie, who was right outside the bathroom door with Syesha. "Where do you get your water supply?"

Lines appeared on Archie's face but he didn't falter when he said, "From a reservoir up at the mountains."

"Can we go up there and check?" Cook had a bad feeling about this, but ironically, he tried to convince himself that he could be wrong. He might have tried to force Simon to trust his instincts, but this time, he hoped Simon was right and that Cook's theories were inaccurate.

"I'll have to call mom," Archie said, "she has the keys to the facility," and dashed back to his bedroom.

"Tell her to meet us there," Cook called after him then turned to Syesha. "Don't say a word to anyone. Just pack whatever you can and get yourself and your family out of town."

"Why? What's going on?" There was no doubt Syesha did her best to stay calm. But her eyes were clouded with worry and fear. Cook reached out and rubbed her shoulder reassuringly.

"I can't say for sure, Sy," Cook said and then pulled his hand away to pinch at the bridge of his nose. "You don't need to go that far. You should be safe in the city. Or maybe head down to Riverton." Cook glanced up when Archie came out of his room before returning his gaze back to Syesha. "But please, don't tell anyone. Not yet. We don't want to start a panic. Chances are we might have another false alarm on our laps."

Syesha nodded. She turned half way, paused a while, then pivoted back and threw her arms around Cook. "Thank you."

Archie grabbed their jackets as Syesha was rushing out of the quarters. "We need to pick up mom. She can't drive well through the mountains when it's dark."

"Okay." Cook followed Archie out the door. He debated whether to call Simon or anyone from the team, wondered if they were all still out sweeping the town and getting drunk. Knowing what Simon would say, Cook decided against notifying anyone else. He needed to be certain.

=0=

They soon reached the reservoir, which was only a ten-minute-drive away from Lupe's place. The keys Lupe held jingled while she tried to find the right one to open the gates. When she did, they hurried inside and walked across a clearing, stones crunching underneath their shoes.

Cook could hear it now, the deep rumbling from within the earth as if it was… snoring.

There were several buildings in the compound but Lupe led them to one in particular. "This is where the town's water supply comes from," she explained before pushing on the large steel door. Then a strong odor greeted them moment the door cracked open. It was the same smell they caught from the water at the inn.

Cook followed the trickling sound with Archie and Lupe right behind him. He could hear Lupe mumbling, "There's a switch here somewhere," and presumed that she meant a switch to turn the lights on.

But Cook didn't want to waste a second so he held the flashlight up and moved further inside. He had reached the edge of the tank when lights finally flooded the entirety of the building. Lupe stepped up beside him and when he looked back, he saw Archie by the wall, hand still on a lever.

When Cook finally caught sight of the water in the tank, the last thread of hope that he could be wrong snapped, his theory rebuilding fast inside his head. "Fuck." He couldn't help it. But Lupe and Archie were too busy observing the water to even mind the curse he let slip.

"Oh. My. Gosh. What is it?" Lupe took a step back, as if she was expecting something would jump out of the tank. "It smells like… like…"

"Sulfur." Cook finished for her while his hand disappeared into the water only to reemerge with little of the rust-colored liquid, which Cook had to smell. "Sulfur dioxide, to be more specific." Cook's arm shot out to his side, his palm splayed over Archie's chest when Archie attempted to lean forward, perhaps to get a closer look.

"What does it mean?" Curiosity burned in Archie's eyes and his forehead creased.

"Means we have to head back to town to bring bad news" was the only reply Cook could offer. He didn't mean to sound pessimistic, but this was the _fucking_ evidence that Simon had been waiting for.

"Oh gosh. A-are you su-sure about this, Dave?" Lupe's words were entwined with fear and worry, her hands visibly trembling when she lifted them to cover her mouth.

Moving his head up and down in a single nod proved difficult for Cook. "Exactly the same thing that happened at Mount Cimehtna back in twenty-ten before she blew up. And I remember my dad telling me about a similar situation in the Philippines during the early nineties before Mt. Pinatubo erupted."

"What are we going to do?" Lupe sounded helpless.

"Let's head back."

Cook spent the ride back to the inn trying to call Simon but he kept getting Simon's voice mail. "Fuck. Turn on the god-damn phone," he muttered under his breath.

When they reached the inn, Cook saw the vehicles that his teammates used parked in front, including Simon's truck. Relieved and agitated at the same time, Cook rushed upstairs and rapped violently against Simon's door. "Simon! Open up!"

It took a while before Simon poked his head through the door with his hair all messy and eyes squinted, probably because of the light streaming from the hallway. He looked disgruntled but Cook couldn't bring himself to care.

Simon's protest of "what the—do you have any fucking idea what time it is?" when Cook pushed past him was ignored.

"I have the fucking evidence you need," Cook spat as he went straight to the bathroom, grabbed the glass from the sink and turned on the faucet.

"What in the world are you talking about?" Simon followed, rubbing the sleep off of his eyes.

"This." Cook held up the glass now filled with rusty-colored liquid. When Simon took it, Cook declared, "Sulfur dioxide. We've just been to the town's water supply and the water's been contaminated."

"Fuck." Simon ran a hand through his hair. "Get the team. Meet me downstairs."

"Wait. What do I do?" Lupe was standing in the middle of the room, looking misplaced.

Cook didn't want to call the shots so he looked at Simon imploringly, whose shoulders sank and told Lupe, "Call for a town meeting. As soon as possible. This could get ugly."

"What about me?" Archie eyed everyone with an air of resolve framing his entire body.

"Stick with Dave. He'll need all the help he could get" was Simon's suggestion.

=0=

  
  


=0=

Archie did what he was told – to stick with Cook. And he wasn't about to complain. The next few hours left a blur of motions and raised voices and Archie could feel the exhaustion creeping in.

It was dawn when he fell back on the couch and drifted off, barely remembering Cook's soft whispers, the feeling of Cook's stubble against the side of his face and the weight of Cook's arm around his middle.

When Archie woke up, Cook was no longer beside him. He was about to sit up when he saw Cook through the corner of his eye and heard him calling out to someone – Jason perhaps. Then Cook came back to the living room, said, "Morning, babe. Your mom called, asked if we could go over to her place. Something about your dad," and handed Archie a cup of, what Archie presumed, hot chocolate.

His mom was on the phone when they arrived. And judging from the rise and fall of her tone, Archie had a feeling that she was talking to his dad. When his mom said, "Jeff, please. Don't be stubborn. Not this time," Archie knew what the conversation was about in an instant even before his mom groaned and said, "Your dad refuses to leave the cottage. Dang, he's such a stubborn, stubborn man."

"Let me try, mom." Archie pulled his phone out of his pant pocket and pressed the key that was assigned to 'speed-dial' his dad's number.

"If your mom asked you to call…" were the words that greeted Archie, "I'm giving you the same response, Son. I'm not going anywhere. This mountain is harmless."

"Dad, please." Archie breathed deeply, feeling wiped out as if he'd been talking to his dad for hours.

"I'm not leaving here, David" were Jeff's last words before Archie heard a soft click followed by the tone that clearly meant, _dang it,_ his dad had hang up on him.

It was a futile attempt, Archie knew it before he even offered to try and call his father. The cottage meant a lot to his dad. It was one of the few things that Archie's grandfather left for Jeff when Archie's grandpa passed away. And it held so many memories, which Jeff often shared to him and his brother and sisters.

Getting Jeff off the mountain would be like peeling a sleeping koala from a tree.

"Dang it!" Archie snapped out of his trance and glanced around just in time to see his mom slam the phone down, bury her face in her hands, mumbling, "He's not picking up." Then she glanced at her watch. "The meeting is set to start in half an hour."

"I thought it was scheduled at four in the afternoon?" Cook asked.

Archie watched his mom get up, grab her car key while saying, "Dr. Abdul suggested we do it earlier since this is an emergency." She barely made it to the door when Cook stopped her.

"I'm sure there will be a lot of people there, traffic might not look good, so I suggest we car pool and drive there in Archie's Hybrid" was what Cook suggested.

"Alright." Archie was glad his mom acquiesced, but his heart sank when she added, "But I need David to stay here and help his brother and sisters pack."

It felt really, really bad when Archie blurted, "No way, Mom. I'm going with you," which made Lupe look wounded because Archie, sort of, said that in a raised pitch.

Then Cook came to his rescue, said something like, "I actually need Archie there to form an evacuation committee," and explained further that it was Simon's idea to get Archie involved in the first place.

The defeated look on his mom's face was tearing through Archie's heart. He wished— hoped his mom would understand. Relief flooded through him when she said, "Okay," a small but genuine smile graced her lips. But before she turned to leave, she asked Daniel to "pack whatever you can, I'll come back for you in an hour."

Cook was right. There were several cars stuck in traffic along South State Street – the lengthy stretch where Murray High School sat. Lupe told them that Randy Jackson, the school principal, suggested that they hold the meeting at the school gym

It was a good thing Archie still knew his way around town. He took a sharp turn into an alley and drove along the back streets until he saw the familiar roof of the building where he went to school for four years.

Archie let his mom and Cook off once they had reached the parking lot because… because... It was quite a struggle to get through all the cars (there seemed to be like thousands), and every driver was obviously trying to find a spot to park. After about fifteen minutes or so – _oh my heck! _ – Archie finally got his car into an empty space near the back entrance and rushed inside.

Noises floated along the empty hallway, which Archie could clearly hear as he hurried over to the gym. Several people were talking at the same time, arguing, or debating or whatever. But Archie chose to ignore them. His eyes swept through the crowd before landing on his mom and Cook, who were both sitting at a high table that was set on one end of the gym.

After Lupe had cited some kind of instructions, which Archie guessed might have something to do with the evacuation plans, she made a hand gesture toward Cook while she introduced him to the uhm… audience. "I'm sure Mr. Cook here will love to answer any questions you might have about the volcano."

Without giving Cook time to breathe, someone from the audience asked, "How long do you think it is before the volcano erupts?"

Cook went through the process of explaining how eruption differed, depending on the depth of a volcano and so on, same things Archie had learned from either Cook or any of his teammates.

Archie was making his way toward Cook and his mom when someone asked, "What if you're wrong? What if we do leave town but then the volcano doesn't erupt?"

The way Cook straightened up from his seat, his face veiled with a shadow of certainty Archie had never seen, made Cook seem like he was fully armed with a response. So Cook started with some technical facts and was in the middle of recounting what they had discovered the night before when the ground shook.

A few heartbeats of nothing but stillness followed.

Then there was a rumbling sound coming from… from everywhere, like dozens of bowling ball rolling down from the mountain. When the sound became louder, closer, the ground started to shake again.

People started scurrying out of the room. Archie saw Cook spring to his feet, bellowing, "Don't panic!" but then… but then Cook's voice were drowned by the screams when another quake hit. This time it was stronger and longer in duration.

Archie gasped when he felt someone grabbed him from behind but quickly relaxed upon seeing Cook, his mom right behind him.

"We'll slip through the back door," Randy Jackson suggested and that was how they all got out unscathed.

"Oh my gosh, the kids!" Lupe exclaimed as they were running across the parking lot, and she started to panic a little, her face turning pale.

When Cook laid a hand on her shoulder, said, "Don't worry, I'll go get them. You and Archie should go ahead and get out of town now," something within Archie ruptured and he felt a rush of fear surging through his nervous system. He was afraid he might not see Cook again.

As much as Archie loved his mom, would want to spend the last few hours of his life with her, if he were to die that day, he still couldn't bear the thought of parting with Cook. So he grabbed Cook by the sleeve of his shirt and said, "I'm going with you."

Cook opened his mouth, started to say, "But Archie—"

"I'm going with you, Cook. Mom can go with Mr. Jackson," Archie insisted, heard the strong perseverance in his own voice.

Mr. Jackson must have heard his name because he stepped up, gently wrapped a hand around Lupe's arm and said, "Come, Lupe, we'll follow the trail that the sheriff had cleared leading to North Salt Lake."

"We'll see you there, Mom." The crack in Archie's voice betrayed him and he could feel the prickling behind his eyes. He fell willingly into his mother's open arms and he might have clung to her longer than he intended, only letting go when he felt Cook's hand, warm and soothing, against his back.

"We have to go Arch," Cook said at the same time Mr. Jackson tugged on Lupe's arm, saying, "Let's go Lupe."

=0==0=

**5— **  
_I cannot break free _

When they've reached his mom's place, the first thing Archie noticed was the fact his mom's SUV wasn't on the driveway.

His heart raced as he and Cook sprinted inside the house. "Daniel! Jazzy! Amber!" Archie swept through every room upstairs but there was no sign of his brother and sisters. He ran down the stairs and met Cook at the foyer.

Cook held up a piece of paper with what Archie recognized as Jazzy's handwriting. "They've gone up to the mountain to get your dad."

"Shit!" If Archie hadn't seen Cook raise an eyebrow, he wouldn't have stopped to think and realize that, _oh gosh, _ he just cussed. "I need go and get my family, Cook. You have to find a way to get out of this town." But Cook was shaking his head.

"No. No, Arch. We're in this together." There was a hard edge in the way Cook spoke. "Whether you like it or not, I'm not going to leave your side."

There were so many things swirling around Archie's mind, so many emotions tugging at his heartstrings, that he couldn't find a single thought or a single feeling to anchor him to the current situation. So making decisions felt like a torture and uhm… it was driving him crazy. Cook must have sensed it because he offered, "I'll drive," and Archie wasn't in the mood to argue.

The quake had not resumed. For about half an hour now. Archie made a mental note just to keep his mind occupied with something sensible at least. When he glanced up at the sky, he noticed that it had darkened. Gray clouds spread out like a silent omen draping over the town.

"Oh fuck." Cook was looking ahead.

Archie followed his gaze and saw a slow moving traffic along the road that winded up to the mountainside. "Oh my gosh." There was no doubt they were going to get stuck. "Wh-what are we gonna do? There's no other way to…"

"Hang on."

The car swerved off the path and rolled down a slope. Archie bounced on his seat like a rag doll, arms flailing, his hand scrabbling for purchase. "Omigosh, Cook. You're crazy!" But Cook didn't say a word. Archie stole a glance at his boyfriend. Cook 's face was stolid; his eyes steely and the white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel steady. It was like… it was like Archie was looking at someone else.

Water splashed against the window, prompting Archie to look out and gasped when he realized that they were driving— floating through Little Cottonwood Creek.

"Hang on, baby. We're almost there." No matter how calming Cook's voice had always been, it wasn't doing anything to ease Archie's nerves at the moment. He was too distracted trying to get his wits together that he didn't even realize his phone was ringing until Cook said, "Arch, aren't you gonna get that?"

Without much of a thought, Archie pressed the phone against his ear.

"Mijo? David?" The sound of Lupe's voice gave Archie momentary relief. The tight grip in his chest loosened. But when his mom asked, "Where are you? Did you get your brother and sisters?" his chest seized, worse than before.

"Uh… mom." Archie told his mom what happened as concisely as he could.

The unsettling feeling in Archie's stomach must have reached boiling point when his mom started crying and saying, "Please David. Please just…" She didn't need to voice it out. Archie knew that all she wanted was for them to get out of there. Alive. And knowing that his mom had gotten out safely was enough to give Archie hope that they would. All of them.

A strong static hissed through the phone and the line went dead.

The foreboding feeling that had been gnawing inside Archie had now melted into numbness. Archie had noticed that they made it to the mountainside road. It felt like hours had passed, like the afternoon never rolled in and the morning just folded into night. It was almost dark. Thick clouds loomed above them.

Rain began to pour, make a pit-patter sound on the car's roof. But… But there was something different about it. Instead of the usual rainfall, it seemed… it seemed it was raining— _oh my gosh, is that mud?_

The earth moved again, vibrations rising to the surface. Boulders of rock had started falling around. And, _oh gosh, _ a large one dropped merely inches from the car. If Cook hadn't swerve, it would've hit them. Archie dared to look back and saw that… "Oh my gosh, Cook! The road's been blocked!"

A new level of anxiety rushed through Archie, and in his desperate attempt to slide back into the calmness he'd had earlier, he started placing blame. "This is my fault. I should have stayed with them like my mother told me but—"

"Come on, Arch. Do you honestly believe you could've stopped your brother?" Cook was right. Daniel was much more headstrong, more stubborn, and strong-willed.

"This is Daniel's fault. If he isn't too stubborn to listen to mom… do what mom tells him, then… then…" Placing the blame on his brother wasn't helping. Archie could feel the guilt burning in his chest.

"I think," Cook started, "I think being stubborn is just Daniel's way of expressing himself. Maybe he needs someone to talk to, someone outside your family perhaps."

"You sound like you know my brother more than I do."

"I don't. And I'm not gonna pretend I do." The tension that had blanketed them faded gradually. "Your mom said Daniel started acting up when she and your dad went through with the divorce." Archie waved a hand, motioning for Cook to turn to a narrower path. "I uhm… I went through the same phase when Mom and Dad split up. So uh… I may have a vague idea what Daniel must be going through."

"This is Dad's fault then. If he wasn't too difficult and close-minded and…" Archie's voice had dropped to an almost whisper. He couldn't believe Cook was laughing. There was absolutely nothing funny right at that moment.

"You're really something, Arch. I hope you don't blame me next."

Archie sat up straighter and waved his arms around when he realized what he'd been doing. "Oh gosh, no. Of course I won't—can't."

They finally reached his dad's cottage. His mom's dark-colored SUV sat in front, merely a silhouette against the dark backdrop of the forest.

"Dad!" Archie dashed up the porch, calling out to his brother and sisters as well. As soon as he crossed the threshold, he was greeted with a pair of arms that clung tightly around his neck.

"Oh gosh, David! You came!" Archie didn't miss the roughness in Jazzy's voice, like she'd been crying.

Daniel, Amber and his dad emerged from a dark corner just as Cook came in with a large flashlight.

"Take your brother and sister, David, and get out of here," his dad said and even through the dark, Archie could see the stubbornness fog his eyes.

"I wish that was possible, Dad, but the road's been blocked. Thanks to you, we're all stuck here." Archie ignored the bitterness in his words. He was furious, _dang it._

"How dare you blame me when all this is your fault!" The venom in Jeff's tone had a familiar ring to it. It brought Archie back to the time they were all gathered in their living room and he had just told his dad that he was gay.

"My fault?" Archie could feel the rush of blood rising to his head. "I don't think there's anything wrong with me choosing to love someone with the same gender. At least I know what love really is." Without turning, Archie reached out behind and when he felt the familiar calloused fingers against his palm, he closed his hand around Cook's.

"I don't think this is the right time to discuss your issues." Daniel broke the silence. "We have to find a way to—" He stopped mid-sentence when some kind of a roaring sound started and it seemed to be coming from behind the cottage.

Then Archie watched in horror when the walls suddenly burst into flames.

"Let's go!" Cook bellowed and Archie turned to herd Jazzy and Daniel outside while Cook held on to Amber, Jeff followed behind them.

Lava had nearly covered the area when they got out. The vehicles were caught in the steady flow and Archie couldn't believe how flames consumed his car so fast like it was a piece of plastic toy caught in a river of fire or something.

The hope for survival came crumbling down right before his very eyes. He barely heard Amber scream, "Oh gosh, David! I'm scared!" And Cook was mumbling something that Archie guessed was supposed to reassure all of them that they would make it out of that dreadful place.

Surprisingly, it was Daniel who still had some good sense left. "The lake! What about the lake? I see the boat's out there!" They all dashed toward the boat, and Archie was glad his dad got something big enough for the family.

The whirring of the boat's motor filled the tensed silence while they floated across the lake. They watched the lava consumed the cottage from the distance. Nobody spoke. Not until Jazzy shrieked. "Dad, look! The fishes! They're all…"

Dead. There must be hundreds of fishes floating on the surface. But that wasn't the worst they saw. Daniel noticed that water was seeping through the bottom of the boat.

"Everyone, get your feet up," Cook instructed. Then he looked at David pointedly. "The volcano must have turned the water into acid."

"Great." Daniel huffed. "Acid eats metal. We're gonna die." And as soon as the words left Daniel's mouth, there was a sputtering sound before the boat stopped.

Jeff bent over the edge to check the motor. "I think we just lost the propeller."

"Oh my gosh." Archie gazed out into the water. They were only a few feet away from the dock. If only they had paddles. He was looking around for one when Cook spoke.

"Everyone, just keep the boat steady." Cook had taken off his jacket, wrapped it around his hand and started paddling.

Archie was about to do the same, when Amber screamed, "Dad, we're sinking!"

"Keep your feet up," Cook reminded them while paddling with his covered hand, pushing the boat further toward the dock.

The water gurgled and was rapidly filling the boat. Archie slipped his jacket off and was soon paddling on the other side. But the boat refused to move. The next thing Archie heard was a splash in the water and when he turned, Jeff was standing right outside the boat pushing—pulling it toward the dock, Amber and Jazzy were hysterically crying, Daniel calling out to him, and Cook coaxing—begging him to "get back inside the fucking boat, Jeff".

Before Archie knew it, they had reached the dock. Cook hollered, "Go, go, go!" Archie jumped onto the wooden platform after his sisters and brother. Cook was right behind him, guiding his dad out of the water.

Once they were on the shore, Jeff collapsed, his breathing faltered.

"Oh my gosh. Dad," Archie whispered. He heard Cook ask Daniel to keep his sisters calm, suggested that Daniel should try to sing them a song. So Daniel was soon humming 'Angels', the song Archie used to sing a lot before he moved out. Then Archie later sang along.

Cook carried Jeff on his shoulder, despite Jeff's protests and complaints. They were walking along the trail toward the ranger station, a path too familiar since Archie and his family used to take hikes in that area. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Put me down, please," Archie heard his dad beg. "Put me down."

Archie stopped in his tracks and turned to see Daniel helping Cook ease his dad down to the ground. Jazzy and Amber crouched beside their father. And Archie just stood behind them, barely listening to what his dad was telling his sisters. Then Cook touched his arm, asked, "Are you alright?" and when Archie nodded, Cook said softly, "I think you're dad wants to speak with you."

The hopeful way his dad gazed up at him pushed something heavy inside Archie's chest, making it hard for him to breathe. Archie sank on his knees, right beside his dad. The stern façade he'd seen resting on his dad's face for the past year melted and beneath it, Archie saw the man that used to take him fishing, the man who taught him how to ride a bike, the man who whispered encouraging words before Archie went on stage during his first piano recital, the man whose smile used to take away all of Archie's fears and worries.

"Oh Dad." Archie swallowed a sob when he saw the burn on his dad's legs getting worse. It had turned into a dark red color. The sight was unbearable so Archie had to look away and bite down on his lower lip to keep from losing control. He couldn't breakdown. Not in front of his dad, or his sisters and brother. But the scattered emotions rolled into the center – his core – and he could no longer hold it back. He wrapped his hand over his dad's, could feel the tears streaming down his face. "I'm so sorry, dad, for everything. I'm so sorry I couldn't be the perfect son you wanted me to be. I'm so sorry for being such a disappointment, for—"

"David." Jeff locked gazes with him, although Jeff's eyes softened, a faint shadow of a smile on his lips. "You were never a disappointment, Son. Never ever think that you are, do you understand? Don't… don't let other people make you feel that way." Jeff wheezed, and Archie could tell he was having difficulty breathing.

"Dad, please, let's… let's just keep going. We're almost at the ranger station," Archie said.

"I can't. I don't have enough left in me." Jeff's breath hitched at every word. "I'm. Sorry. Son. For not. Being there. For you." Cook half kneeled on Jeff's other side and tried to wheedle him to let Cook carry him a little further. But Jeff shook his head, said, "No Cook. Please. Take my children. And go." Then Jeff grabbed Cook's hand. "Take care of David. Promise me. You'll take. Good care. Of. My son."

White flakes started to fall around them. It looked a bit like snow but when a few landed on Archie's skin, he realized it wasn't cold.

"Ash fall." Cook was gazing at the distance, some of the whitish flakes were stuck on the tip of his eyelashes . "We better get moving."

Archie nodded and touched his dad's shoulder lightly. "Dad?" Jeff's eyes were partly closed, his eyelids fluttering. "We have to go, can you move a little?"

Jeff groaned and spoke in a very low voice that Archie had to bend a little to hear him. "Tell. Your mother. That I. Still love her." Then Jeff went limp.

=0=

The ash fall had gotten thick on the ground by the time they had reached the ranger station. Cook had Amber riding on his back and he kept a watchful eye on Archie. His boyfriend had been too quiet since… since they left Jeff's grave.

It was a failed attempt to bury Jeff since they didn't have the proper tools, but Archie insisted. And Cook didn't have the heart to deny him that one last gesture Archie could do to pay respect to his father. So they dug a shallow hole using broken tree branches and stones and then covered Jeff's body with some leaves and rocks. It would have to do.

There was a truck parked outside the station – or what was left of it – and Cook was relieved that it started when he tampered with the wiring.

They drove in silence until they came to a path covered with lava rocks.

"Oh fuck!" Cook eyed the black bed of blazing rocks and wondered how _the hell_ he was going to get the truck across.

"Uhm… Cook?" Daniel said and Cook could sense him fidgeting from the back seat. "I know I've been uhm… an ass?" Cook checked the rear view mirror just in time to see Daniel glance quickly at Archie, who remained quiet on the passenger side. "But… but can you like, pleeeeease get us out of here alive? I promise I'll do anything you tell me."

"Sit back. Put on your seatbelt and hold your sisters tightly," Cook said; then turned to Archie, placed a hand on Archie's thigh and gave a tiny squeeze. "Baby? You with me?"

Archie blinked at him, the corner of his mouth lifted for a moment then nodded.

Cook backed up the truck and changed gears. "Here we go guys." He stepped on the gas and the truck lurched; then rolled onto the rocky terrain. Cook could feel the heat underneath them but kept his eyes ahead, determination steaming from the back of his head that he should – he would get them all across. A chorus of "oh my gosh, Cook, we're on fire!" echoed in his ears.

When the truck reached the other side, with paths safe enough to drive through, Cook released the air that had been stuck in his chest. And relief flooded him when he heard Archie say, "Oh my heck! We… we made it!"

The road they were cruising through was familiar, but the sight before them was something different, like images taken completely out of a nightmare.

"Our house is gone," Jazzy said, and Cook heard the sadness in her voice, even though she was trying to be brave like the rest of her siblings.

"Is it… is it over?" Archie gazed out the window and Cook assumed Archie was asking about Fuller's Peak.

"Afraid not." It was the bitter truth, but Cook couldn't lie about it. "She had just finished clearing her throat. She hasn't even started singing yet."

They drove around for another half hour, trying to find an open route leading out of Murray. But roads had been blocked and bridges had fallen.

"Oh God, there's… there's no way out." Daniel was evidently at the edge of panicking. He had started hyperventilating and it looked like the tables had been turned because Amber was the one consoling him.

Cook drove by the inn, surprised that part of the ground floor was left unharmed. "Wait here." He parked the truck and hopped off, hoping that his teammates had left R.Y.A.N.

Some of the machines were still working; most of the computer monitors were left on. Then Cook found the tracking device lying on one of the tables. He grabbed it and stopped short when he caught a glimpse of the image on the nearest screen. It was a three-dimensional display of the volcano's structure and it was clearly showing an activity. "Fuck!"

With a quick glance at the large map of Murray hanging on the wall, an idea flashed in Cook's head. He sprinted back to the truck, handed R.Y.A.N. over to Archie and floored it. "Hang tight, everyone."

A deep, roaring sound rose around them and the ground trembled violently at the same time

_Don't fucking look back. Don't fucking look back._

When a deafening explosion cracked through the air, Cook made the mistake of glancing at the truck's side mirror. "Oh shit!" Dark gray smoke crept down from the tip of Fuller's Peak at an enormous speed.

"David…" One of the girls whined and someone else from the backseat asked, "What is that thing?"

"That," Cook said, daring another glance at the mirror, "is a pyroclastic cloud."

The thick, dark cloud had reached the town proper, sweeping through the remaining buildings with such destructive force and obliterating everything in its path.

Someone screamed, "It's right behind us!"

Cook steered the truck to a short path and drove right through the barricade of the abandoned mine. The truck stopped abruptly when it reached a narrower part of the tunnel. Cook turned to check if the girls and Daniel were all right and saw that the path behind them was blocked with rocks and some other forms of debris.

"Baby?" Cook reached out for Archie, who was rubbing on a cut on his forehead.

"I'm fine." Archie's voice sounded raspy, but at least everyone was alive.

There were cracks on the windshield so Cook used little force to break the glass completely. He helped Archie climbed through it and guided the rest out.

Daniel led them to a niche along the tunnel and claimed that it was his hide out. He had a stash of some junk foods, canned meats, some bottles of water and canned sodas.

"No wonder Mom's been complaining about grocery expenses," Amber blurted, hands on her hips.

"Well I thought it would come in handy in case of emergencies." Daniel glared at his sister, his arms crossed over his chest.

It was such an amusing scene that made Cook laugh. "Good plan, Daniel. Now why don't you give your sisters something to eat?" Then he took Archie to a corner, slid his arms around Archie waist and pulled him closer. "Talk to me."

"I'm sorry." Archie pressed his forehead against Cook's. "This…" he said, waving a hand in the air, "everything that happened were all too much to, you know… to take in."

"I know." Cook pressed a kiss on Archie's forehead. "And I'm sorry about your dad."

"Oh gosh, Cook, no. You... You did more than you should have. And thank you. For everything." Archie leaned up and pressed his lips against Cook's.

"Eeew. You two get a room." There was a hint of good-natured teasing in Daniel's tone and the tension that threatened to build up around them vanished when Archie's sisters giggled.

"Damn it," Cook hissed, suddenly remembering the tracking device he left in the truck.

Worry flashed in Archie's eyes. "What? What's wrong?"

"I forgot Ryan in the truck. I need to back and get it."

"What is it anyway?" Archie had been curious about it since he saw Michael remove the thing from the robot's back.

"It's some sort of a tracking device that N.A.S.A had lent us." Cook scratched on his stubble, trying to recall the device's function. "It's supposed to send signals to the main frame computers at the headquarters and provide coordinates."

"I'll go with you." The grip on Cook's shirt tightened and Archie looked like he wasn't planning to let Cook go.

"No baby, you stay here with your brother and sisters. I'll be back soon."

Cook was about to step out when Daniel called him. "Here." Daniel handed him a flashlight, smiled and said, "Be careful."

"Thanks." It didn't take long for Cook to find the truck. He was a few meters away when another earthquake hit and the mine's ceiling fell behind him. A wall of debris now blocked the path leading back to niche. Cook could hear Archie and his siblings' voices calling out to him from the other side. "I'm okay! Just go back to the Daniel's hideout!" They should be safe there, Cook hoped.

He made it back to the truck and found R.Y.A.N. on the passenger side's floor. He flicked on the switch and when nothing happened, gave it a little kick until the small light on the side started blinking. Then Cook sat back, said a silent prayer that someone would find them soon.

There was nothing more he could do but wait. The only thing that kept Cook company was the constant beeping from R.Y.A.N. Time didn't seem to matter anymore. He just waited. And waited.

=0=

Only three days had gone by since they witnessed the impressive show in Utah. It left them with tons of things to do. So the team only stole a few moments in the day to mourn the loss of their colleagues.

Michael still clung to the littlest hope that Cook made it out alive. They have contacted the local government and hospitals of the surrounding counties in Utah, even the neighboring states. But they always came out empty handed.

Mayor Archuleta shared his hope and confidence. She said if Cook and her son were still together, then they were bound to survive. Michael hoped she was right.

The research room bustled with activities. The equipment they had installed at Fuller's Peak picked up thousands of data. Chikezie and Jason had been neck and neck working on the analyses for the past two days. Like Michael, they claimed they only needed a day of rest. But Michael had a feeling that they were using work as a distraction so they would not wither in grief.

When Michael entered the room, the first thing he noticed was the red light blinking on one of the machines. "Ramie?" He tapped Ramiele on the shoulder. "How long has this light been blinking?"

"Not sure. It was already blinking when I got back to work two days ago."

The small light of hope within Michael glowed brightly. "I knew it," he said. Then excitement bubbled up in his chest and he couldn't stop himself from shouting, "I knew it! I knew it!" and everyone within hearing distance looked at him as if he'd grown another head.

"Jason. What does this thing do?" Michael asked, pointing at the machine with the blinking red light.

"Uhm… It picks up signal from Ryan?" Jason said, a tinge of anxiety growing in his eyes.

"And it's blinking because…" Michael waved a hand, urging Jason to voice out his thoughts – or what Michael hoped he was thinking.

"Because that thing sometimes malfunctions?" The edge of skepticism slid from Jason's words and he added, "Or maybe Ryan had been activated?"

"Oh my God!" Carly had a hand on her mouth. "It means…"

=0=

Cook thought he was dreaming. Or maybe he was dying and this was how dying felt. He could hear faint voices and grinding sounds that felt like there were machines drilling a hole in his head. But when a streak of light pierced through his eyelids, Cook snapped his eyes open and squinted against the brightness that greeted him. There were outlines of people standing above him, voices asking, "Mr. Cook? Are you alright?"

It was only when he was being carried out of the truck that Cook realized it wasn't a dream at all. There were people – men and women – all around, construction machines and large spotlights directed at the area where he was just dragged from.

"Mr. Cook, I need to check your vital signs," a woman in a white robe said, guiding him to an ambulance.

"How did you—" Cook was too perplexed to say anything. He wedged his upper lip between his teeth, struggling to collect his thoughts while the paramedics worked on getting samples of his blood and checked his blood pressure.

Someone said, "He's dehydrated. Get an I.V."

Cook was about to protest, to tell them that he should wait until everyone else got out, but the roaring of a helicopter lashed above the noises.

The helicopter descended not too far from where the ambulance was parked. Cook watched as people got out and something was lifted off of his chest when he realized that it was his teammates.

Carly and Ramiele ran over to him but seemed to take caution when they threw their arms around him. Chikezie and Jason stepped up, chuckling while patting him on the shoulder and Michael, who was still on crutches, got to him last. They were all laughing and saying that it was Michael who noticed the signal when Cook noticed someone's absence.

"Where's Simon?"

His teammates' faces fell, the light in their eyes just seconds ago disappeared. Carly cleared her throat and said, "He didn't make it. He was swept away by the lava along with the bridge leading to North Salt Lake. We got too close to the show, I guess."

Cook's thoughts were interrupted when a black SUV pulled up. And the weight on Cook's chest returned when he saw Lupe step out of the vehicle. She burst into tears the moment her eyes landed on Cook, wrapping her arms around him weakly when Cook met her half way.

"I never stopped believing," she said softly. "I never stopped believing that you will survive."

"Archie, Daniel and the girls are still in there." Cook pulled back, silently hoping that Lupe's children were all right. "Jeff didn't make it. I'm sorry." It was unfortunate that he had to be the one to bring the bad news. "But I'm sure your kids are okay. Daniel has a stash of food and drinks in his hideout to last them a month."

As if on cue, applause rippled out from behind him. Cook led Lupe to the edge of the area where a huge hole had been dug out. His heart felt light as a feather the moment his eyes landed on Archie, holding Jazzy close and Daniel and Amber were behind him.

"Look!" Jazzy raised her arm. "It's Cook! With mom! Mom!"

Jazzy, Amber and Daniel all ran to their mother while Archie fell limply in Cook's arms.

"I was so scared," Archie said, his face buried in Cook's neck. "So scared that I might never get to hold you close anymore. So scared that I might never get to feel you breathe against my skin."

Cook pressed his face deeper into Archie's dark hair and took a deep breath. Then he pulled back just enough to look into Archie's eyes. "I think I have the perfect solution for that." Archie raised an eyebrow, his expression quizzical. Cook pulled a smile on his lips. "This might be too soon but… I was wondering if you'd like to move in to L.A. with me."

Archie mirrored Cook's smile, and the glint on his eyes were enough for Cook to know Archie's response. But when Archie's hand slid behind his head and pulled him down to capture his lips, the kiss slow and promising, Cook knew he just sealed a deal.

**\- end -**

  


  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment or review in my LJ post [HERE.](http://cloversworld.livejournal.com/30888.html)


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